๐๐ง ๐ข๐ช๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฏโ๐ต ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ, ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐จ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฅ. ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ช๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ญ๐บ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ญ๐บ ๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ท๐ช๐ท๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ธ๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐บ๐ด, ๐ข๐ค๐ค๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ด๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ.
![](https://careanimalss.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1708756965_700_1.jpg)
In November, a road worker spotted the underweight dog, now named Gracie, amid an area of woods in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. โShe reportedly came racing out of the woods and walked up to him,โ Shealy added.
![](https://careanimalss.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1708756965_655_2.jpg)
โMore than likely, Gracie was bred to be a hunting dog, but she didnโt do the grade of hunting that they wanted,โ Shealy added. โSo they either cut her off the leash or left her in the middle of the woods, and probably planned for her not to survive.โ
![](https://careanimalss.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1708756966_553_3.jpg)
The road worker got in touch with Canine Compassion Fund, a local animal welfare organization, and someone from the group picked up Gracie and rushed her to the vet. Then the rescue agency arranged for Shealy and her mother Marlene to foster Gracie.
At first, Gracie was scared of everything and everyone, especially Shealy and her mom.
![](https://careanimalss.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1708756967_841_4.jpg)
Their main concern was Gracieโs weight. She barely weighed approximately 20 pounds, when she should have been about 40.
โWe were feeding her anywhere from five to six meals a day,โ Shealy said. โJust extremely little amounts. She was so hungry that she devoured it.โ
Little by bit, Gracie gained the weight she needed โ and with that, she gained confidence.
![](https://careanimalss.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1708756968_901_5.jpg)
Another thing Gracie had to learn was how to play. At first, she didnโt know what to do when Shealy showed her dog toys. But one toy soon attracted her interest โ a duck puppet.
โShe went wild about it,โ Shealy added. โIt was like a switch turned in her personality. Ever since then, sheโs been full on.โ
โSheโs turned out to be a great dog,โ Shealy remarked. โItโs taken time and care, but she can sit now, she goes great on the leash, she eats two or three meals a day. She probably gained between 10 to 12 pounds, which is what she needed. She could hardly stand when we first received her, so simply her improvement is astounding. And her personality has come through, and weโve simply loved having her.โ
![](https://careanimalss.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1708756969_330_7.jpg)
But after sheโs made a full recovery, Gracie will be offered for adoption โ and Shealy is convinced sheโll be the perfect family member for someone.
![](https://careanimalss.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1708756970_678_8.jpg)
![](https://careanimalss.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/9.jpg)