This Emaciated Dog’s Tail Never Stopped Wagging—Then She Found the Love She Deserved
At only two years old, Opal’s overall appearance tells the story of a dog who’s endured the unthinkable. When Opal arrived at a shelter in Texas a few days ago, her emaciated frame stood out. Weighing only 25 lbs, Opal’s ribs were painfully visible.
While in her kennel, her sorrowful eyes silently cried for a miracle; that someone would notice her and offer her a home where she’d experience safety and kindness like never before, even if temporarily. What Opal didn’t expect was that her miracle would come sooner than she expected, all thanks to Brianna Magana, a shelter volunteer and foster mom who just couldn’t bear the thought of this severely emaciated pup spending another day in solitude. Brianna was filled with a mix of pity and concern when she saw Opal, and there and then, made the decision to foster her.
@bristexastails Meet my new foster, Opal 🥺 Opal is one of the skinniest dogs I’ve come across in a long time. She’s estimated to be 2 years old and only 25lbs. When I saw her at the shelter I knew I wanted to be her foster mom. She came in as a stray but my gut is telling me she was surrendered by an owner. She has an intense urine scent and I don’t think that’s from being at the shelter for two days. I’ve bathed her twice and the scent still lingers. My assumption is Opal sat in a kennel outside or inside of someone’s home and her owners decided to do the right thing finally and give her a chance at a better life. She wouldn’t have survived as a stray in this condition, she clearly hasn’t been eating scraps from trash cans, she’s been completely starved. Because Opal is emaciated, we have to be very careful how we feed her, overfeeding her could kill her. Despite her past, that tail never stops wagging and she’s going to be so loved from here on out. Welcome to your new beginning Opal, we love you so much already! 🥹 Thank you @Pippy's Pals for saying yes to intaking Opal and taking such good care of us! 🧸 Ive made an Amazon wishlist if anyone would like to send gifts to Opal! Any supplies are greatly appreciated! Here is the link but it’s also linked in my bio! https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/25FS2KVJNLAAP?ref_=wl_share 💌To donate to Opals medical bills: 🤍 Paypal Giving Fund – [email protected] or click HERE 🤍 SMS – text PIPPYS to 53-555 🤍 Venmo – @pippyspals 🤍 Zelle – [email protected] #adoptdontshop #houston #shelterdog #rescuedog #opal #fosteringsaveslives ♬ original sound – 𝐗𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐄
Was She Intentionally Starved?
Brianna believes that Opal was intentionally starved by her previous owners who then opted to surrender her. Despite being grievously neglected by those she trusted the most, Opal exhibited a sweet, gentle demeanor toward Brianna during their first interaction. Opal accepted Brianna’s help without hesitation, a sign that she was ready to put the horrors of her past behind her and start a new chapter.
Besides her emaciated state, Brianna also quickly noticed that Opal oozed a strong urine smell, which is still present even now when she’s in her new foster home.
“She has an intense urine scent and I don’t think that’s from being at the shelter for two days. I’ve bathed her twice and the scent still lingers. My assumption is Opal sat in a kennel outside or inside someone’s home…,” Brianna captioned in an emotional video posted on her TikTok account @bristexastails.
Better Days Ahead
Opal is only a few days old in her new home, but her gratitude never goes unnoticed. Her tail is ever wagging with deep appreciation toward Brianna for offering her the comfort and attention she’d been denied for so long.
Brianna is committed to nursing Opal back to a healthy weight, including sticking to a specialized diet plan and feeding her with caution like any emaciated pup should be. She’s an easy dog to handle, always cooperating during baths and meal times. Opal has found a constant playmate in her foster sibling, and she often appears joyful when spending time outdoors. While we don’t know what the future holds for her, we’re certain that her story will only get better from here.
“Opal is finally in an environment where she can thrive. In just a matter of days, she’s transformed from a frail dog knocking on death’s door into a lovely pup hopeful for better days, a testament to what love and compassion can do to a dog in need,” pet rescue advocate Rocky Kanaka says.
