“Today, she had her weight at 112 pounds versus 130 pounds at the shelter. I cried in the parking lot.”
Neville wandered the streets of San Bernardino, California, in the sweltering summer heat for weeks before she finally found a safe place to rest. The 2-year-old shepherd mix’s past was a mystery, but not only was she all alone — she was desperately overweight.
Thankfully, a Good Samaritan stumbled across the stray and gave her food and water before taking her to the nearest shelter. Staff immediately posted on Facebook about the good girl, whom they first believed to be a boy. “[Neville’s a] total love bug.”
“[She’s a] total love bug, everyone is in love,” the post said. “He has a thyroid problem. This poor dear needs our help.”
At 130 pounds, Neville was more than two to three times the healthy weight for a dog of her size, and had clearly been neglected.
Despite Neville’s obvious need for weight loss, staff couldn’t believe the 2-year-old shepherd mix hadn’t found a home.
“She was only at our shelter for a short period of time before she was adopted,” Jodi Kroeger, a spokesperson for the San Bernardino Animal Shelter, told The Dodo. “However, we knew she needed help.”
The post worked, and Neville went to her new home in late July, but she still needed a plan for weight loss and health.
“The day after we brought her home, we took her to the vet and we ran tests,” Niki, Neville’s mom, told The Dodo. “Her thyroid is low, but not low enough to diagnose her with hypothyroidism yet.”
Niki is currently looking for a pool so Neville can exercise without hurting her joints. Thankfully, her latest appointment revealed good news.
“Today, she had her weight at 112 pounds versus 130 pounds at the shelter,” Niki said. “I cried in the parking lot.”
Neville found a good home where she is loved and supported, but Niki credits Neville for all the good that’s come from rescuing her.
“She’s given me a renewed sense of purpose,” Niki said. “I had been struggling with lack of drive to continue working with animals, and she just renewed it.”
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