Although the abuser with the machete has not been discovered, this story has a happy ending. We are delighted to report that this lively dog is now having a happy and healthy life with the kind family who fostered her.
In case you missed it, a bystander on a beach in Oahu, Hawaii witnessed a guy holding a machete burying a dog alive in plain sight. He quickly alerted PAWS of Hawaii, and the entire crew rushed to the animal’s aid.
The poor girl was sunburned, covered with sores, virtually bald, had wounds on her legs, and was in bad shape. The puppy, now named Leialoha, was transported to Aloha Affordable Veterinary Services, where vets examined and cared for her.
Amanda Krasniewski and her husband had previous experience with foster dogs. It all started while the couple was on their vacation in St. Croix. They saw ads asking people to fly adoptable pets to the mainland in order to boost their chances of finding permanent homes. During their journey, they stopped at the refuge.
The newlyweds planned to bring a dog into their newly formed family anyhow, so they felt they may as well adopt one from the overcrowded St. Croix shelter. They selected a dog called Mocha and flew her home with them.
When Mocha was still a puppy, the couple adopted Bruce, a stray Chow Mix. Caring for these two rescue canines taught them the value of rescuing and fostering. The pair decided to become fosters with PAWS of Hawaii after arriving to Hawaii and have never looked back.
Fostering, according to Amanda, “has been a fantastic opportunity to preserve animals while being engaged in the community.” The pair fostered 12 canines before to Leialoha. When Amanda noticed the PAWS of Hawaii’s Facebook post about Leialoha, she instantly contacted the executive director and volunteered to assist.
The first night was very challenging. “She smelt bad from being buried and her skin ailments,” she explained. She was bloated and red. I attempted to pick her up in order to transfer her from the travel kennel to a very big dog crate, but she wailed. I honestly didn’t know if she’d make it through the night.”
When Amanda went to check on Leialoha, she was overjoyed. “I went to see her the next morning, and she gave me a slight tail wag.” “I knew she was a warrior and would make a full recovery from that point on.” Leialoha was underweight and weary, and she needed time to recover, but she had reached a turning point and was on her way.
Leialoha only came out of her kennel to go pee at first. Those first few days, Amanda and her husband spent a lot of time hanging out at the kennel. Leialoha eventually felt secure enough to go from the crate to underneath the coffee table for naps.
Amanda and her husband provided Leialoha with the time and space she required to recover and acquire confidence. Within two weeks, she was behaving like any other puppy. “She would play nonstop with one of our dogs, play catch with my husband, then snuggle up next to me for a sleep,” Amanda explained.
Leialoha was supposed to be adopted by a Big Island family. Unfortunately, one of their dogs became severely ill, and they were unable to adopt a new dog during this period. When the adoption fell through, the Krasniewskis were on vacation.
At the time, Leialoha’s tale had gotten a lot of media attention. After the family returned from their trip, Leialoha returned to their home, and Amanda’s husband became quite devoted to her. “We wanted to make sure she got to her permanent home and that someone did not want her just because she was “famous,” she explained. “We determined that keeping her was the best option.”
Leialoha is happy and well thanks to Amanda and her family’s attentive and loving care. “She is really high energy and loves to play all day,” Amanda explained. She is very loud and insists on your attention, hehe. She is, nevertheless, an extremely nice child who adores everyone. You’d never guess someone had ever injured her.”
Love conquers all, according to stories like Leialoha’s! Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the Krasniewski family, PAWS of Hawaii, and everyone who contributed to this very happy ending.
