It’s amazing they noticed her.
As a member of the pet mutual aid team at One Tail At A Time, an animal rescue in Chicago, Illinois, Aly Medina is always on the lookout for fuzzy friends in need.
Recently, Medina was driving through the South Side of the city, in a rural area by a train overpass, when she happened to spot a terrified face peeking out from a tree trunk near the side of the road.
Medina quickly pulled over and locked eyes with Maya, a timid black dog who clearly needed help.
Over the next several months, during the peak of summer heat, Medina returned to the area multiple times as she tried to catch Maya and bring her to safety.
“She left food and water for her while slowly earning her trust,” One Tail At A Time said in a video about the rescue. “No traps, no rushing, just a lot of patience and good wet food.”
With help from Chicago Animal Care and Control, Medina eventually managed to coerce Maya into a carrier. Rescuers couldn’t help but smile as they loaded the pup into their car and brought her to the city shelter, where Maya settled in for a mandatory three-day stray hold.
Once Maya’s hold was up, she moved in with Medina, who was more than happy to make the transition from rescuer to foster mom.
“[Maya] was pretty unsure about everything,” One Tail At A Time said. “But having her buddy by her side helped to comfort her.”
Days went by, and Maya came out of her shell. She connected with Medina’s mom, who slowly began falling in love with the lovable, quirky pup.
Soon, it was official — Medina’s mom adopted Maya and made her a permanent part of the family.
Rescuers were thrilled.
“This cutie traded in her tree house for her forever house,” One Tail At A Time said. “She’s doing wonderfully, and we’re so grateful that she’s going to have an amazing life.”
To help other animals like Maya, you can make a donation to One Tail At A Time.