When Tania Cappulleti set out on an incredibly hot Sunday in Costa Rica, her intention was to find a very shy cream-colored stray dog who she had seen for the past week. Though Tania was unable to find the dog she was originally looking for, she did find another who was in desperate need of rescue.
Sitting along the side of a dusty road, far from any town, was a black emaciated dog for whom Tania immediately pulled her car over. Tania told BarkPost that her first thoughts when she saw this dog were similar to those she has when she sees any stray.
“[It was] the same thought I always have when I see a stray: Oh [no,] poor baby. She must be so thirsty!’ I stopped without hesitating. We were on a rescue mission anyway, I had foam mattresses in the back of my truck, water and dog food with us – she was really lucky.”
As soon as Tania approached this sweet pup, the dog fell onto the road, crying.
“When she saw our car stopping and me and Blendan getting out — she started to walk towards us [and] was actually crawling — and when she was in front of us she collapsed and cried and cried and cried [with] joy, pain, thirst and hunger.”
“She was so sweet and gentle, we all fell in love with her right away!”
Tania and the two volunteers who were with her, Blendan Thomas and Olivia Mocillo, gave the dog (who they named Gaia) small amounts of food and water. Apparently, rescuing Gaia couldn’t have come at a more needed time, as Tania told BarkPost:
“We carried her out of the sun into the little shade there was on the side of the road and gave her water. She drank and drank and drank, but she didn’t stand up – she was too weak.”
Tania, it should be noted, is a co-founder of Charlie’s Angels Animal Rescue, a “foundation that offers temporary care and residence for abandoned dogs in extreme physical condition or who are victims of abuse.”
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After Tania rescued Gaia, she was transferred to a foster, who originally agreed to take the cream-colored dog that Tania began searching for. When Tania arrived at the foster home with Gaia in tow, there was some confusion.
“They were a bit surprised because they expected us to show up with the cream colored Labrador. We checked with them beforehand if they would foster the Lab. When we showed up with Gaia, they were like, ‘What? We thought it was a cream-colored dog?’ I said, ‘Yeah but now we found her instead.’ They said no problem, we [will] take her as well.”
Gaia was then taken to the vet, where it was determined she didn’t need much medical care despite the condition she was found in.
“…[W]e gave her flea drops and took all the ticks out of her. When she got to the vet she just needed de–worming and vaccines. She is a super healthy young girl!”
Gaia ended up spending five weeks in her foster home before her new mom, Johanne Froment, saw her photo posted to the Facebook page of Osa Peninsula Rescue and Adoptions, a Costa Rican organization that offers spay and neuter services as well as adoption services.
Now Gaia spends her days playing with her new mom, her two cat brothers, Tigré and Sacha, and enjoying her favorite past time – going to the beach.
“Gaia[‘s] favorite activity is to [go] for a walk to the beach. [J]ust seeing the leash she start[s] jumping and mak[ing] funny noise[s]….[S]he really like[s] being hug[ged] in [the] water [so] she can stay there for a long time.”
As Johanne shared with BarkPost, Gaia is blossoming in her new home.
“Gaia [has] a very nice personality! [S]he is very social and always want[s] to play!…She like[s] to be pet a lot. I think she is very happy with us now.”
To support Charlie’s Angels in their mission of helping the dogs of Costa Rica, you may donate here. Both Charlie’s Angels and Osa Peninsula Rescue and Adoptions have Facebook pages which you can ‘like’ to follow along with the animals that they serve and rescue.
The last two images were sourced from Johanne Froment, Gaia’s new mom.
Featured image via Charlies Angels Animal Rescue
H/t Sunday Express
