Once upon a time, Stewie had a family whom he lived with and adored. Then his family moved away and left him abandoned in the house to fend for himself. Stewie didn’t understand where his family had gone and why they didn’t take him too. So he stayed in and around the only home he had known for over a year, surviving in every way he could, waiting in vain for his family to return.
This situation was Stewie’s reality when Los Angeles’ Hope for Paws rescuers Lisa Arturo and JoAnn Wiltz drove to his home to help him. They found Stewie hiding in a crawl space, but every time they tried to approach him or tempt him with food, he ran away in fear. The senior dog had been on his own for so long that he had forgotten how to trust people.
Eventually, with timing, Arturo and Wiltz were able to catch Stewie as he headed back to his house. He was initially confused and distressed, but they stayed with him and were able to coax him into a kennel. They immediately took him to the veterinarian.
Upon X-ray examinations, the veterinarian determined that Stewie had become so desperate for food, and was so unwilling to leave his family’s home, that he had resorted to eating rocks to stay alive.
Stewie received a relaxing bath, only for his rescuers to realize that he was covered in a series of small skin tumors. Further testing showed that the tumors were all benign, and the veterinarian proceeded to remove them all.
Stewie was placed in foster care where, with a stable environment and nutritious food, he began to settle in, and his personality emerged.
He is being fostered with Grand Paws Rescue and awaiting a forever home with someone who will love him and never leave him behind again. Could you be the right owner for Stewie? Check out his page for information on adopting him.
