The collapsed shed looked like just another pile of debris left in the wake of Hurricane Ida. But underneath the wood and metal, a sweet dog named Bubbles was fighting for his life.
Luckily, a Good Samaritan noticed the sweet face poking out and flagged down Humane Rescue Alliance officers working with the Louisiana SPCA (LASPCA).
There, they saw the pittie mix chained up and unable to move even an inch. “We suspect the dog had been stuck there — terrified in the sweltering heat with no food or water — since the storm hit,” the LSPCA wrote on Facebook. “We carefully lifted the shed enough so we could guide the dog out from underneath and free him from the chain.”
The pup was eager to show just how grateful he was to finally be safe. “Once freed from the shed, Bubbles was super friendly and sweet and became almost immediately affectionate toward his rescuers,” the LASPCA wrote.
Bubbles’ rescuers couldn’t believe he’d survived the storm in such difficult conditions. “I don’t know how he survived,” Rebecca Melanson, communications engagement specialist with the LASPCA, told The Dodo. “He’s just a great dog who miraculously got through that. The sustained winds were so high — you have winds over 130 miles an hour hitting and an animal outside.”
At the shelter, Bubbles is finally getting the care he deserves. He has food, water, air conditioning and a safe place to sleep at night.
And he’s finally feeling comfortable enough to let his personality shine through. “Bubbles is the sweetest big baby!” Melanson said. “Sometimes he tries to act tough, but he just wants some attention and love at the end of the day.”
Unfortunately, Bubbles’ situation is not unique.
“It’s a common thing — you think you’re gonna be gone two or three days, and you turn out to be gone for weeks at a time,” Melanson said. “You think you’re leaving them in a safe place, but in reality, you’re not … that’s why we always encourage people to take their pets with them and include them in their hurricane plans.”
