Dog Bounces Back After Failed Mercy Killing

A community in Washington state is rallying around a year-old dog with an incredible back story: Vets say that somebody struck Theia with a car, hit her in the head with a hammer in an apparent attempt at a mercy killing, then buried in her field, reports the Spokesman-Review. Theia wasn't having it, however. A few days later, she showed up at a farm near Moses Lake, dirty, emaciated, and wagging her tail. She's since been taken in by a foster family and has undergone treatment at Washington State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

“Considering everything that she’s been through, she’s incredibly gentle and loving,” foster mom Sara Mellado tells WFTV. “She’s a true miracle dog.” Theia's injuries include a dislocated jaw and multiple bone fractures around her nasal cavity, which makes it difficult for her to eat and breathe. Vets say they can insert a stent to open the nasal cavity, but it costs about $9,000. A happy ending looks inevitable, though: A GoFundMe page to cover the medical bills has raised more than $10,000. (More uplifting news stories.)