Tears of Relief: Chained Dog Behind Abandoned House Overwhelmed with Joy as Rescuers Finally Find and Free Him

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A few weeks ago, when temperatures in St. Louis, Missouri, dropped to the single digits, rescuers with Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL) scoured the city’s streets for dogs in need. As they pulled up to an abandoned house during their search, they quickly realized someone was still left behind.

The house was empty, but a helpless animal was curled up and shivering in the backyard.

“[He] was chained, behind an abandoned house, to a dog house full of frozen water,” SRSL wrote on Facebook. “The callousness of this act alone gives us chills.”

The rescue team, led by Donna Lochmann, was heartbroken, but the dog, whom they later named Eskimo Joe, forgot all about his troubles as soon as he laid eyes on his rescuers.

“We walked up to him, and he greeted us with tail wags and pressed his body against us as we used bolt cutters to cut him free,” SRSL wrote.

You can watch footage of his rescue here:

Eskimo Joe instantly knew the team was there to save him. And, despite the trauma he’d gone through, the boy radiated love.

Lochmann loaded Eskimo Joe into the passenger seat of her Jeep, and he refused to take his eyes off her the entire time.

“He stared at Donna during his freedom ride and loved the heated seats,” SRSL wrote.

Eskimo Joe soon met SRSL’s veterinary team, who gave the sweet boy a full checkup. He turned out to be heartworm-positive but was otherwise healthy. The team started Eskimo Joe on a treatment plan, which included daily medicine and endless cuddles.

The team loved spending time with him, but they knew he would heal faster in a warm, quiet foster home. It didn’t take long for him to find the perfect one.

“Because he’s simply the best boy, he left for foster [care] pretty much immediately,” SRSL wrote.

Eskimo Joe settled right into his temporary home, where he’s been ever since. He’s still on the hunt for a forever family, but for now, he’s soaking up all the love his foster parents have to give. And he looks totally different now than he did when he was first rescued.

“He’s the most gentle soul I have ever met,” Eskimo Joe’s foster mom, Tara Rueter, told SRSL in a note, later shared on Facebook. “This guy is as sweet as can be and deserves nothing but the best!”

The team at SRSL can’t wait to see Eskimo Joe in his forever home, but for now, they’re comforted knowing that he is warm and safe. And they are thrilled to see him finally receiving all the love and attention he deserves.