They Were About to Put Her Down Then This Vet Went Above and Beyond to Give a Scared Dog Her Happily Ever After

Natalie Hoage |

Jan 27, 2024

hey Were About to Put Her Down Then This Vet Went Above and Beyond to Give a Scared Dog Her Happily Ever After

Sometimes even the saddest of stories has the happiest ending, and Graycie’s story is one of those stories! Graycie is a gray pitbull who was found abandoned on a dirt road after being dumped in the middle of nowhere by her owner. Luckily, a good Samaritan found her and took her to the Vet in Elberton, Georgia. When Dr. Andy Mathis met her, she was scared and starving. She had forgotten how to eat, and unless she started to eat, the only option left was for her to be euthanized. She was running out of time.

Dr. Mathis Stepped In To Help Graycie Remember How To Eat

Dr. Mathis knew that he could help Graycie if he could gain her trust. They estimated that she was about 2 years old or so Dr. Mathis said in an interview, “She had a collar, so she was owned by somebody at some point. Whoever was feeding her wasn’t feeding her enough. She was 20 pounds when we found her and probably should have weighed 30 to 35 pounds.” She had several other medical issues, as well.

Dr. Mathis, from Granite Hills Animal Care, worked slowly but consistently on gaining her trust. One morning, she was way over in the corner of her kennel, as far away as she could get from him when he opened the door. He got into the kennel and sat down with her. After a few minutes, he placed a bowl in front of her, hoping she would eat. When she didn’t, Dr. Mathis grabbed a dog bowl for himself and began to eat cereal out of it.

Graycie watched him closely. You can see the hesitation in her eyes. Still unsure about whether she would eat or not, Dr. Mathis grabbed a bit of kibble in his hand and held it up to her face, and she finally took the food from him. Soon after, she lowered her head into the bowl and started to eat. Euthanizing Graycie was no longer an option!

Graycie’s Story Doesn’t End There

Dr. Mathis’ video went viral on social media, and he was glad it did. “There’s a lot of dogs like her out there, so by sharing her story it brings awareness to other pets who need homes,” he said. He was hopeful that Graycie would continue to gain weight and eventually be adopted, but a year later, she was still there waiting for her forever home. It was then that Dr. Mathis decided to adopt her himself.

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Over time, Graycie transformed from a scared, emaciated, timid dog into one who was feisty, playful, and loving. She was slowly introduced to other dogs and learned how to be a happy, well-adjusted dog from them. In the video, you can see her hopping and bouncing around, and playing with the other dogs. It brought a smile to my face when I saw her transformation!

Although it’s been years since Graycie was found and rehabilitated by Dr. Mathis, it’s a heartwarming reminder of what kindness and compassion can do for a soul, whether a human soul or one of our four-legged friends. It’s also a great reminder to never give up because time and patience can heal many wounds.