One lucky pup’s life was likely saved last week when a group of marine inspectors found her trapped in a shipping container at a Texas port.
The dog, who has since been named Connie the Container Dog, was trapped in a shipping container for at least a week when MST3 Bryan Wainscott, MST1 Lucas Loe, MST2 Ryan McMahon and MST3 Jose Reyes found her Wednesday at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston, U.S. Coast Guard Heartland said in a Facebook post.
The marine inspectors were randomly selecting containers to be inspected when they heard barking and scratching from one of the containers in a stack, USCG Heartland said.
The container was stacked about 25 feet in the air and had to be lowered by crane.
“When they lowered the container and opened the door, a dog popped out!” according to USCG Heartland.
USCG Heartland said the “sweet girl” was “tired, hungry, and very happy to see her rescuers.”
Video posted to Facebook by USCG Heartland showed Connie wagging her tail, sniffing around and drinking water given to her by the guardsmen when she was finally freed.
Coast Guard officials determined Connie was trapped for at least eight days with no food or water. The pup was dirty and skinny when she was freed.
Officials said they aren’t sure where the container came from but it was filled with junked vehicles, likely on their way to be sold for parts overseas. Based on that, Chief Petty Officer Corinne Zilnicki said Connie was likely inside a car at a junkyard when she was accidentally trapped in the container.
If this was the case, McMahon said it would have likely been another week before Connie got where she was going by cargo ship, meaning she would have been without food for two weeks.
The marine inspectors took Connie to the Pasadena Animal Shelter for care, according to a post on Facebook from the shelter.
Connie was then transferred to Forever Changed Animal Rescue, or FCAR, on Friday, the rescue said on Facebook, after the rescue’s founder and veterinarian Dr. Andrea Deoudes saw Connie’s story while scrolling Facebook.
Soon after, the rescue said their Texas coordinator was sure they would be able to find her “the amazing home that she is so deserving of.”
“In just a few short hours, we experienced the joyful moment that Pasadena Animal Shelter chose us to become the rescue that gives Connie her new shot at life,” the rescue said on Facebook. “Without hesitation and not knowing Connie’s health, we knew that our medical fund would be well spent on her.”
Connie weighs 30 pounds, which is slightly underweight, FCAR said. The pup tested positive for heartworm, which FCAR said they were going to start treating ASAP. The rescue said they would also do a full examination on her so she can receive the care she needs.
The rescue added that she is “incredibly sweet but very shy and scared of her new surroundings as to be expected.”
“We can’t thank all of the amazing people involved in this rescue and saving Connie’s life,” FCAR said.
The rescue’s Facebook post is filled with comments of users expressing interest in adopting or fostering Connie, but it is not clear if she has found her forever home.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
