A blind and savagely beaten rescue dog has become a viral sensation after escaping war-torn Lebanon and going on to become a therapy dog, turning her once tragic story into a tale of hope, survival, and second chances.
Just one year ago, Maggie was the victim of a brutal attack that left her fighting for her life alone on the street. That is, until an online campaign helped rescue this pooch and give her the new life she deserves.
According to The Argus, the 5-year-old dog was discovered with 17 bullet wounds, a missing ear, a broken jaw, and her eyes shot out, leaving her blind, severely wounded, and all alone to suffer her injuries by herself.
The animal welfare organization Wild at Heart began an online campaign to help get Maggie out of there and somewhere safe, but it would take a lot of work, since it's quite difficult to get any animals out of Lebanon.
Kasey, 25, told The Argus that she and her mother both agreed they wanted to be the ones to foster Maggie and help her start a new life with a loving family.
Before she left Lebanon, Maggie underwent extensive surgery and had her eyes sewn up to prevent further damage. After that, she was ready to fly to Brighton to meet her new family. It was an emotional scene when they were finally united with their new pup.
“I was in tears when I met her at the airport,” Kasey said.
“They said map out the house for her room by room," she explained. "But we sectioned off the kitchen and the first night she slept in her crate."
There were a lot of big firsts for Maggie that some dog owners and dogs themselves may take for granted.
“I took her out to go to the toilet and it was the first time she touched grass," Kasey said.
Known on Instagram as "Maggie the Wunderdog", this pooch's winning smile and kind demeanor has garnered her over 80,000 followers on the social media site. She's such a hit that Kasey gave up working at a dog daycare to run Maggie's Instagram full-time.
“She’s got a great life and she wants so much out of it," Kasey explained. “She loves working as a care dog and going for walks."
In an Instagram post announcing Maggie's graduation as a therapy dog, Kasey wrote, "Since the first time I met Maggie I knew she would make a great therapy dog if she wanted to be. Thankfully we found a charity that not only uses the healing power of dogs but also teaches the importance of animal welfare."
“I’ve never met a dog like Maggie," she said. “She’s just brilliant. She’s so energetic and bubbly. She walks off the lead and follows me around."
Kasey added, “She must have been in agony with all she’s been through, but she never hurt anyone and she’s so loving.”
“When I first got Mishka she was awful around other dogs but Maggie has really brought her out of her shell," Kasey said of her other dog. “They didn’t get on so well at first because Mishka howls a lot and Maggie couldn’t quite understand what she was trying to say. But now they’re inseparable and they love to cuddle.”
As for what Kasey wants Maggie's fan to understand about this beautiful dog, she said she hopes other dog lovers will feel inspired by her incredible story.
"I just want people to see that she's living life," Kasey said.
h/t: The Argus
