Thompson (Stitch) - Rescued 2/12/25
- Anakin's Trails
- Feb 12
- 3 min read
WE GOT STITCH!
Some rescues shake you to the core. Stitch’s story is one of deliberate cruelty, survival against the odds, and a community that refused to let him suffer alone.
It all started with a text.
A Siberian Husky had been spotted roaming Bennetts Bridge Road in Greer, SC, wearing a muzzle. Not the kind meant for a quick vet visit or a training session—but a muzzle cinched tightly around his face and ears, preventing him from eating, drinking, or panting to cool his body.
The reports confirmed our worst fear: this wasn’t an accident. Someone had left him to die—a slow, painful death from heatstroke and starvation.
A Race Against Time
At first, we hoped he’d stay near the area where we set two baited food stations and cameras, but reality set in—he couldn’t eat. He could still smell the food, but with his mouth forced shut, survival would come down to sheer endurance.
The next day, he reappeared miles away in Five Forks—a heavily congested area full of traffic, pedestrians, and overwhelming noise. The situation escalated rapidly.
Well-meaning but uninformed bystanders started chasing him, trying to “help.”
He was spotted darting through soccer fields at the CESA complex, panicked and desperate for escape.
911 calls flooded in about the muzzled husky running dangerously close to roads.
We sent out an urgent plea on Facebook: STOP CHASING HIM. Every time someone pursued him, it pushed him further into a fight-or-flight state—and with no way to pant, his body was overheating fast.
At one point, a compassionate woman messaged us privately:
👉 “He’s behind my house under a tree, resting. No one knows he’s here.”
It was the first and only moment of peace he’d had in three days. But it wouldn’t last. More people had spotted him, and the chaos resumed.
A Drastic Measure to Save a Life
With the situation spiraling, we had to make a difficult decision—one we normally avoid.
💉 Darting.
A trusted officer and animal control expert stepped in. Within moments, Stitch was sedated, loaded into a vehicle, and rushed to Upstate Urgent Care.
What they found was devastating.
His body temperature had reached 107°F—dangerously close to fatal.
His lungs were compromised, filled with air pockets.
He had suffered a heat stroke.
We held our breath as they stabilized him. The vet told us the truth: it was a waiting game.
A Community Comes Through
As news of Stitch’s condition spread, the outpouring of support was overwhelming.
Donations flooded in. Hundreds of people followed his updates. The community rallied like never before, ensuring his medical expenses would be covered—every single dollar.
And then, against all odds…
💙 STITCH MADE IT. 💙
The next morning, Sharon, Joyce, and I arrived at the hospital with his new dad, ready to bring him home. The moment we saw him, the reality of what he had endured hit us hard.
His wounds told the story of suffering.
His eyes were guarded, full of distrust.
His body was weak, but his spirit hadn’t given up.
But love changes everything. And that’s exactly what Stitch found.
A New Beginning
At first, he was cautious. Unsure. His world had been one of pain, fear, and abandonment. But slowly, he started to understand—he was safe.
As we watched, we saw it—the first glimpses of trust, relief, and hope.
🐾 He had a family.🐾 He had a warm home.🐾 He would never know suffering again.
No more suffocating under the heat of the sun. No more struggling to breathe.
No more barely surviving.
💙 STITCH, YOU ARE SAFE. 💙
Thank You for Saving Stitch
To everyone who donated, shared his story, and fought for him—YOU are the reason he is alive today.
Because of you, he didn’t die alone on the side of a road.
Because of you, he gets to live, love, and heal.
Thank you for believing in second chances.
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