In Lebanon, a dog was discovered with a terrible condition – one of her ears had been cruelly cut off, she was blind, pregnant, and had been shot with pellets 17 times. To make matters worse, this poor creature was left chained up beside a busy road where anyone could see her suffering.
If it weren’t for a compassionate man who noticed her, picked her up, and brought her to Beirut for medical care, she would have remained there. However, the animal’s rescue was far from complete. Maggie, as she was later named, caught the attention of the Wild At Heart Foundation, a UK-based rescue organization. They made arrangements to rescue Maggie and locate a foster home for her. Kasey Carlin came across Maggie after her mother showed her a picture of the dog and insisted that they become her foster family.
Kasey discovered that Maggie had been through a traumatic experience of having her eyes shot with an air pistol which caused serious infection in her sockets leading to the removal of both eyes. Upon returning back to the UK, Kasey noticed that Maggie’s body was also filled with multiple pellet wounds. Despite going through immense pain and suffering, Kasey was amazed by Maggie’s gentle nature and kind-heartedness that she ultimately decided to give Maggie a forever home by adopting her.
Kasey shared that Maggie, her beloved dog, doesn’t belong to a designer breed and has physical imperfections such as missing an ear, scars on her face, loose skin, and saggy breasts. However, these flaws have no bearing on Maggie’s loving personality, which brings joy to everyone who meets her. Kasey emphasized that being different or unconventional is not a problem but instead makes us unique and beautiful. Under Kasey’s care, Maggie thrived and grew into a loving and infectious spirit with a big personality, calming aura, and a story that touches many hearts and reminds us of our inner strength.
Right after Kasey got to know Maggie, she immediately recognized the potential of her as a therapy dog and started teaching her. After some time, Maggie successfully completed her training!
Kasey mentioned that she and I will have a chance to talk to students and personally guide and support young people. Although Maggie’s experience was terrible, Kasey believes that her story can be a source of enlightenment and motivation for others to do good in the world. By doing our part, we can make the world a better place. In the meantime, Maggie takes pleasure in long walks every day.
Maggie has a great fondness for her beloved “sister” Mishka and they both adore snuggling up with each other.
At times, her past can resurface to trouble her, but her companion Mishka is always there to console her. Unfortunately, her damaged ear is prone to infections. Due to the extreme mistreatment that Maggie endured and the inadequate medical attention she received, her ear was not able to heal properly. As a result, her ear canal is quite narrow and the cartilage is malformed, similar to the condition known as cauliflower ear in rugby players. As her caretaker, I have to be very cautious when it comes to her ears. Although she doesn’t seem too bothered by it, I decided to give her a day off to relax and unwind. Mishka seemed to sense something was amiss and kept trying to soothe Maggie’s painful ear by licking it. It’s truly heartwarming to witness how well these two look after each other. The love they share is truly remarkable.
Maggie’s journey has been remarkable, considering that she was discovered bound to a box. However, with the help of committed rescuers and social media, she is now thriving and enjoying the best possible life.
Check out the video below to witness further events in Maggie’s tale.
