When a Good Samaritan in Missouri noticed a dog lying on a pile of trash for a couple of days in a row, he knew he had to reach out for help. He called Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL), whose team of rescuers immediately went out to save her.

Donna Lochmann, SRSL’s chief life saving officer, spotted the pup first.
“When we got there, she was still rummaging through the trash because she was hungry, and we could see that she was skinny,” Lochmann told.

The dog didn’t see Lochmann at first, but as soon as she did, she started to hide behind the trash can.

Lochmann knew that in order to rescue the pup, she’d have to gain her trust first. So, considering first that the dog was hungry, she pulled out some treats.
“She was very receptive to the sausages,” Lochmann said. “But when I knelt down and offered one to her, she went past the food and came right up to me.”

Instead of nibbling on the food being offered to her, the sweet pup got as close to her rescuer as possible and locked eyes with her.

“It was as if she was saying, ‘Are you here to help me?’” Lochmann said.
With the dog’s trust secured, Lochmann proceeded to put a leash around her neck and lead her to the car.

As soon as they got to the shelter, the dog, whom Lochmann named Little Toes, immediately started winning over the hearts of everyone who worked there.

“She was so sweet with everybody in the clinic,” Lochmann said. “She was pretty much hugging up on everybody.”
Little Toes only spent a day and a half at the shelter before going into foster care, but she made sure to spread as much love as possible in that short period of time.

These days, Little Toes spends her days loving on her new foster parents and dog sibling. Her sweet personality is blooming more each day now that she is in a safe and loving temporary home.

And although her friends at SRSL miss her hugs, they’re happy to know that Little Toes will never go hungry again.