Hi there, I’m Diamond. I have a story to tell, but it’s not a happy one. Not yet. I was pulled from our county kill shelter after an urgent plea was made for me. My life was hanging by a thread. I was so sick — severely emaciated, with deep, painful mange all over my body. My skin was infected, and it oozed pus, leaving me weak and in constant agony. My body hurt so much I couldn’t even lift my head. I was too exhausted to do anything.

But the worst part? I was found with a collar and tether on. I was someones pet. I was supposed to be their family member.

Instead, I had been tethered in the yard, left to rot away in silence. I was alone, starving, covered in sores, with no one to help me. I was slowly dying, but no one cared. That collar was a reminder of how much I had suffered — a silent mark of the cruelty I endured. Somehow, I managed to get that tether undone and wandered away, hoping for any kind of relief.

That’s when a big-hearted ACO from Miami-Dade picked me up. When he rushed me to the shelter, I was barely hanging on. My body was covered in infection and so swollen that I could hardly move. I could barely stand. I couldn’t lift my head. I was just laying there, too weak to do anything, but still, I was clinging to life.

An urgent plea for my rescue was sent out to rescues —my rescue put a hold and rushed to pick me up. Finally, I got the kind of care I had never received before. But it wasn’t easy. For days, I didn’t know if I would survive. I was so broken, both physically and emotionally, that I had no idea how I was even still fighting. But I didn’t give up. I knew deep down that I deserved a chance. I had to fight, and I did.

Weeks have passed now. I’m putting on weight, and my fur is starting to grow back. It’s still hard, but I’m getting stronger every day. I’m starting to feel like myself again, but I still have a long way to go. I still need to be spayed, and I’m still healing from the wounds of my past. But the worst of it is behind me.

I’m staying with a wonderful foster mom now, and I have some dog friends who keep me company. But the truth is, I still think about my past every day. I think about how I was left in that yard, alone, suffering. I think about how my body was neglected, and how I was treated like I didn’t matter.

But I don’t want that to define me. I want to have a future, a family that will love me, cherish me, and never let me suffer again. I’ve been through so much already. Now, I’m ready for a second chance — for the life I always deserved.

If you’re looking for a dog who’s fought against the odds, who knows what it means to survive, and who is ready to give all of her love in return, please consider me. I’m looking for the family I’ve always dreamed of — a family that will see past my scars and love me for the dog I am. I’ve been through hell, but I’m still here. Please, give me the chance to show you how much love and joy I have to give.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

With all my love,
Diamond