Some dogs just don’t have a fair start in life. Due to abandonment, these brave souls are left to fight for survival in harsh conditions, often facing the unknown with nothing but their will to live.
Keanu, too, faced this heartbreaking fate when he was callously dumped in the woods. Alone and vulnerable, with no food or water, he found himself at the mercy of the freezing weather, with no one to help him.
He had reached rock bottom, with no hope left, until two compassionate people spotted him and changed his life forever.
A Fragile Body
When Ne La and Adrian discovered Keanu, he was barely hanging on. He had reached a point where survival seemed impossible.
Keanu was lying motionless on the forest floor, unresponsive to his rescuers. He was too weak to get up, let alone react in any way.
The pair quickly contacted 1 Dog At A Time Rescue, who immediately took Keanu to their vet, Denisa.
“It took several hours before he started to show signs of life. At first, he could barely lift his head,” said Jayne, the rescue’s co-founder, in an interview with We Love Animals.
On the way to the clinic, Keanu lay quietly in the car, completely exhausted, trusting in the hands of those who had come to help him. His energy had been completely drained.
Once at the clinic, Keanu was hooked up to an IV drip. After several hours, he showed his first sign of improvement by slowly opening his eyes and licking his rescuers’ hands—his own quiet way of saying, “Thank you!”
The Softest Heart
That tender, gentle first glance melted everyone at the rescue’s heart.
“Everyone who met him instantly fell in love with him. So gentle. So, so gentle,” Jayne shared.
For the first week, Keanu remained still, only eating and drinking from his bowl, too weak to do anything else. But after a few days, signs of progress began to emerge.
Keanu managed to get up on his paws and took a few unsteady steps. It was a truly touching moment. And when he finally made it outside, his recovery took an inspiring turn.
In just a few weeks, Keanu made significant progress. He began walking longer distances outside and even made friends. His new companion, Elsa, helped him rediscover the joy of playing and being a dog again.
Yet, his absolute favorite thing to do is simply lie under a tree, soaking in the peace and calm of the moment.
“He’s such a gentle soul, so relaxed around all our other dogs. He’s very much his own person, and he loves nothing more than lying under a tree, just being,” the rescue wrote on Facebook.
Keanu’s spirit had fully returned. You could see it in his eyes—his newfound happiness, his gratitude for a second chance at life. And now, he was ready to return all the love he had received during his recovery.
“He’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime dogs. He’s a very special dog,” Jayne said.
It wasn’t long before Keanu found a loving home with an incredible family.
Now, with his new family by his side, he can finally live life to the fullest, enjoying endless adventures without a care in the world. After everything he’s been through, he truly deserves it.