Connie the Container Dog, who was rescued from container in February, has died after spending only a few months in a rescue home.
The pregnant dog had spent a week without food or water in a container at the Port of Houston in Texas. Connie was rescued by U.S. Coast Guards after they heard faint banging and scratching sounds inside the container.
Connie was taken to a rescue group called Forever Changed Animal Rescue in Maryland. She was desperately thin and dirty. But the rescue staff gave her an immediate checkup. They were amazed by how friendly and affectionate she was.
During the checkup, they found that Connie was pregnant with eight puppies. All of the puppies were birthed successfully. Connie was transferred to a kind and loving rescue home where she could recover from her ordeal.
Connie went to live with a foster family who were finally giving her the love she deserved. Her foster, Jennifer Wendeburg, told KSAT 12 that Connie was doing great living in a dog-friendly family that also had a Great Dane and a Pitbull mix.
But Forever Changed Animal Rescue had heart-breaking news to report on Facebook yesterday. Connie had died due to a rare fungal disease called pythiosis. The disease had had caused irreversible gastrointestinal lesions.
The disease pythiosis is caused by drinking or swimming in contaminated water. It’s quite possible that Connie drank water outside the shipping container before she entered and got trapped inside. The extreme summer heat in Texas would have led Connie to drink any water available.
“After all she had been through and survived, we simply couldn’t believe that this was how her story was supposed to end. She was such a young dog, with the absolute sweetest spirit, and yet she was such a fighter, a true survivor.”
Forever Changed Animal Resuce | Facebook
The rescue group hoped that Connie’s story would raise awareness about the many dogs who are abandoned to live difficult and meagre lives with no home. They added that many of the stray dogs in the area end up euthanized because there are just not enough people or homes too look them.
“While we are glad that she had a few good months of happiness and love, it will never seem like it was enough.”
Forever Changed Animal Resuce | Facebook
The rescue group posted that Connie’s inspirational rescue was not her only legacy, but that “her 8 puppies who will get to live the life she missed out on.”
“Connie, we are so very sorry. If love could have saved you, you’d still be with us, sweet girl. We love and miss you always. You fought so hard and deserved so much more. Rest easy, perfect girl. You’ll certainly never be forgotten.
Forever Changed Animal Resuce | Facebook“
