An old, deflated tire that was located on an empty, dead-end road just underneath a freeway overpass, in Muscoy, California, was a makeshift home to the most interesting little bunch ever.
Seeking shelter from the scorching sun, three little dogs could be found squeezed by each other inside of the tire. And, being in such a remote location in such hot weather, the chances of them surviving were slim.
However, luck was about to smile on them when a Good Samaritan noticed them and decided to call for help.
Help Is On The Way
A man, who, by chance, took the wrong turn, noticed a matted white Terrier resting on top of a pile of garbage. Knowing how hot it was outside, the man knew that the pups needed assistance, so he called Faith Easdale – a local Muscoy dog rescuer from Dream Fetchers: Project Rescue.
Since Faith received too many such calls, she was not surprised.
“We do this all the time. We see dogs dumped in underpasses, fields, canyons, freeways, you name it — and that area is one of the worst. Hardly anyone would go there or even see these dogs, and even if they had seen them, they would have kept on going. They just don’t care. It’s an everyday occurrence,” Faith told The Dodo.
Faith immediately contacted one of her rescuer friends in the area, Cassandra Aldridge, and asked her to check up on the pups. When she got to the site, Cassandra immediately spotted the pup, and when she got close to check up on it in the tire, two more faces looked up at her.
Unfortunately, the pups were too lethargic and dehydrated, so they didn’t have the strength to move from their spot. Knowing that she had to move the dog into a shade as soon as possible, Cassandra took the entire tire and put it in the back seat of her car.
Cassandra didn’t know how long the pups were stranded out there in the Muscoy heat, but what she did know was how much the pups were relieved to be near air-conditioning.
After Faith arrived at the scene, the pups scattered in the back seat, making her lure them out of hiding.
After some time, she finally managed to get to the scared puppies, wrapping them in a blanket and giving each one some cold water, which they gulped down immediately.
“I stroked their heads and let them know that they were OK, and then I put [them] one by one in a crate. They just were so lethargic that they didn’t even want to run. But they were all so happy to be in that crate huddled together,” she said.
Faith was overjoyed when she finally had the pups safe. However, when she noticed that the white dog had her paws over the black one who appeared to be recently pregnant, her heart melted from cuteness.
At The Vet
The little pack was immediately rushed to the nearby veterinary hospital where they were given a thorough medical exam and lots of fluids.
Since they needed names to be put on their veterinary forms, the rescue team decided it would only be appropriate if they were named by different brands of tires — Michelin, Pirelli, and Kumho.
Even though they were infested with fleas and ticks, and were missing patches of skin because of their scratching, the little trio was happy that they were finally safe.
I am sure they were even happier after receiving spaying, neutering, dental cleanings, and professional grooming!
“Pirelli and Kumho were both lactating, meaning they were still producing milk for puppies that were hopefully old enough to be weaned; Michelin was shut down and protective and is opening up as the days go by. The girls are so loving and seem to feel like royalty with their new ’dos. Michelin is still too proud to wiggle his tail but we can see the light coming back to his eyes,” Hedy Alison, office manager of Camino Pet Hospital, wrote in a hospital report.
As soon as they received their vaccines and microchips, the pups were moved to foster care where they continued to regain their health and remember what it’s like to be happy.
Forever Home
After spending some time at their fosters and completely recovering, the pups found a forever home!
The first one to get adopted was Michelin! This was incredible news to Faith since she was worried about him the most when she rescued him.
“This tire baby was the one I was worried might not even survive the transport to the hospital. He seemed the most broken! He wouldn’t take the water offered and I knew we had to HURRY to get him help! Thankfully he recovered and was given that second chance! Just look how amazing he looks now. And he has a brand-new mama who will give him tons of attention,” wrote Faith in a Facebook post.
Pirelli and Kumho also found their forever homes together! The two girls are now living in a mansion with a woman who absolutely adores them.
It is incredible to see this little pack thrive after fighting for their lives in a deflated tire.
I hope they never have to suffer like that again and that their new life is full of love, adoration, and super-long, super-fun playdates!