Rescue dog turned pink by skin infection gets second chance at life
The dog, a boxer, was dropped off at a California animal shelter.
— -- A rescue dog who was abandoned while suffering from an infection that turned her skin pink has received a second lease on life after being adopted by a California family.
The dog, Asia, a 10-month-old boxer, was dropped off with another boxer, Artie, in the same kennel at the “night drop” at the Animal Friends of the Valleys shelter in Wildomar, California, on Feb. 13.
Asia was found suffering from hair loss, infected ears and a skin infection, demodectic mange, that left her skin pink.
The shelter treated Asia and Artie, who also had skin irritation, with antibiotics and oatmeal baths.
“They both arrived depressed and a little bit shut down but within one day, they were much more outgoing and happy,” Monica Alexander, the shelter’s rescue coordinator, told ABC News. “They knew we were there to help them.”
After five days at the shelter, the dogs were transferred to Last Chance at Life, a volunteer organization that takes in pets in need of medical care and helps them find permanent homes.
“We’re called Last Chance at Life for a good reason,” said Lisa Hamilton, the group’s president and founder. “When these two came they were a little disconcerted.”
Hamilton said though she could see a sparkle in Asia.
“She thinks the world is her oyster and she’s happy to be in it,” Hamilton said. “She will recover medically and emotionally and not have a single care in the world.”
Jillian Ryan and her family could see the same sparkle in Asia when they saw her at an adoption event last Saturday, and decided to give her a forever home.
"Asia is a love-bug, she is very boxer-like, she’s got that playfulness, they are always puppies even when they grow up," said Ryan, whose previous family boxer died of cancer. “We have another dog named Luna, and she is attached to her now at the hip, wherever Luna goes Asia goes."
Ryan added that Asia is very sweet with her two young children, aged 2 and 4. Ryan said that her daughter loves the color pink, and they gave Asia a hot-pink collar.
Asia's skin is improving and gradually returning to its natural color.
Artie, the dog with whom Asia was dropped off at the shelter, has been moved into a foster home while Hamilton and her team search for the perfect fit for the 2-year-old dog.
“Artie is a little older and was a little more hesitant at first with people but he will recover too,” Hamilton said. “Both are just very well-balanced dogs.”
