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Maryland gives a puppy from Kosovo a second chance

Ray was blind and left for dead, MD SPCA steps in
Posted at 11:41 PM, Aug 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-16 07:02:32-04

A dog makes the journey of a lifetime for a second chance.  Blind and left for dead in the streets of Kosovo, the Anne Arundel County SPCA saw a video of the ray by chance on Facebook and jumped in to help save the 2-year-old puppy.

It was an unlikely 4800-mile journey for a puppy named Ray.

"Ray was in Kosovo, we knew he was blind begging for help, so we jumped in action. We knew we had the medical care that he needed," Tina Woolford, Rescue Coordinator for the Anne Arundel SPCA.

Woolford who has been taking meticulous care of this pup since he arrived here a week ago, said he was blinded when someone threw bleach in his face.

"We're not sure when that happened.  He was a stray so he was walking the streets of Kosovo begging for food, he was begging for love," said Woolford.

Two things no living thing should ever have to beg for.  Woolford teamed up with its partners in Kosovo to get Ray to the states and into a safe and loving environment.  Woolford calls it a miracle that she saw a video of Ray on Facebook.

"I had worked with the pet rescuers of Kosovo before and we've actually rescued about 23 dogs from them I saw the video and immediately I texted the head of the rescue there I texted her and said I want this dog!"

The two are already good friends. 

Ray is sweet and mild-mannered. but shy considering how traumatic his short life has been.

"Our initial thought was to help him with his eyes but when he got here he was diagnosed with heartworms.  If he had gone on in Kosovo he wouldn't have lived long and it would've been a hard grueling death for him," Woolford told WMAR 2 News.

The hope is that a foster parent will come forward and help with his recovery.

"It's about four months so we're asking anybody that can foster him that doesn't have any other animals just because he needs a quiet place."

Ray's signature move according to Woolford is how he hugs the legs of people.  Now he hopes someone will open their home and heart to him.

After Ray is fostered and his heartworms are gone, he'll be ready for permanent adoption.  

Click here for information on how you can help Ray!