She Smiled Thru The Pain As She Put Her Trust In Humans For The Very First Time

Stray Rescue of St. Louis received a call from a woman who had seen a dog with a terrible wound on her neck, run into an abandoned house, writes ilovemydogsomuch

The dog had been let down by humans her entire life, so being near people was the last thing she wanted. But her rescuers would soon help turn her miserable life into the magical life she deserves.

This sweet dog has lived up to her new name “Minka,” which means “strong-willed warrior.” Despite everything she’s been through, Minka has proven that she is indeed a warrior! Her life on the streets has been rough, but she had no idea that everything was about to change.

When rescuers arrived at the abandoned house, they spotted Minka, who was keeping her distance. Minka left the house and eventually sat next to a car, shaking with fear. She finally decided to take a leap of faith and trust her rescuer.

On the way back to their clinic, Minka laid her head on the headrest and closed her eyes. It was the first time she had felt truly safe in a long time.

“This sweet, gentle girl smiles at us through the pain with trust in her eyes, knowing we are the good guys who just want to help her,” Stray Rescue wrote on their blog. “She is full of joy knowing she no longer has to dart around speeding cars and find a quiet abandoned house to hide in.”

At the clinic, vets examined her and determined that she would need a few surgeries. The wound on her next is also deep and very painful. Vets had to sedate her in order to shave around the wounds and wash them out.

Although she wasn’t wearing a collar at the time of her rescue, vets believe the deep wound is from a pinch collar that had once been embedded in her neck.

“Seeing her grateful and thankful heart fills ours,” Stray Rescue continued on their blog. “Thank you, Minka, for trusting us and for your beautiful soul. We will help you get your second chance. You deserve nothing less than our every effort.”

Watch her rescue in the video below: