In January 2015, it was cold outside, so Bret Winingar and his son Zach went on a motorcycle tour through the landscape of Arkansas.
Unexpectedly, they noticed an animal cage by the roadside, hidden behind bushes.
They stopped their bikes and took a closer look out of curiosity.
Bret and Zach noticed that the top of the baby carrier was completely gnawed away. It seemed like whatever was inside was desperately trying to get out.
They weren’t prepared for what they would find.
Bret Winingar and his son were riding their bikes on a beautiful January day.
Father and son were traversing a rural area east of Little Rock, Arkansas. Along the way, they spotted a box in the bushes.
They were told to get off their bikes and look inside the box.
What they discovered inside was both terrible and disturbing.
As they opened the box, a large black dog, nothing but skin and bones, stumbled out.
They found the dog’s feces everywhere in the box, and it smelled « so strongly of death that we couldn’t bear to be under the wind, your white paws were brown from your own feces ».
This poor dog had been there for a very long time. Being stuck in the plastic box, she had cuts and scratches all over her body.
They had to leave the dog behind as they had to quickly retrieve Zach’s truck and food. They hoped she would still be there when they returned.
She was always there, waiting.
Bret wrote on his blog: « I was sure it was too late. » « But then I heard an almost inaudible growl and thought, ‘If you have enough strength to growl, you have enough strength to live,’ and we loaded her onto the back seat of Zach’s truck and headed home. »
Their grateful dog was named « Charlie Bravo, » referencing the Honda CB motorcycles they rode on that dreadful day.
Bret and his family took Charlie to the vet after giving her a much-needed bath.
Her nails were so long that they fit into her paws.
She could barely walk because it hurt her so much.
When Charlie was found, the vets estimated she was about 8 months old.
Bret didn’t want to accept Charlie as he already had several dogs.
But as Charlie improved and showed her wonderful personality, Bret and his family fell in love with her and couldn’t bear to give her up.
« By exceeding the limits, Charlie’s checkout history has left lasting marks in many ways, » Bret shares.
« Charlie was left with skin and bones in her cage when we found her. For us, this cage is an analogy for anyone living in a prison they’ve imposed on themselves.
« It can be a dead-end job, an abusive relationship, an addiction to chemicals or alcohol, or the tightest case of all, fear of the unknown.
Charlie looks sweet, happy, and beautiful today. She tells us we can do it with a little help too.
The Winingar family received numerous donations to pay for Charlie’s hospital bills after their story was shared on Facebook.
Due to the large number of gifts received, the family donated the extra money to shelters in the area.
Charlie will never be left alone or forgotten again.
Please SHARE Charlie’s amazing journey with your friends and family!