BEFORE/AFTER MIRACLES

Two days before Christmas, Navi was rescued near the border by Barb’s Dog Rescue.

He was in unimaginable condition — starved nearly to death, covered in lice and maggots, with much of his body reduced to raw skin. But his most serious injury was a deep, infected wound that exposed bone and extended down into his paw.

Amputation seemed likely, so Barb reached out to Dogtree Pines for help. Navi made his way to the States and into our care, where his long healing journey began.

His wounds were so severe they had to heal from the inside out. Medical maggots were delivered to Dr. Delia at Harmony Veterinary Care and carefully placed into the wound to debride and clean away the damaged tissue.

Navi spent nearly six months recovering. And somehow, this brave little dog made a full recovery.

His scars will always tell the story of the horrific start to his life, but everything has changed now. We were told all Navi ever wanted was a family. Now he has one!

Navi has friends. Navi feels safe. Navi wakes up wiggling all over the bed, excited for another day. He is usually the first dog to sound the alert when someone arrives, and he has discovered the one great joy in life: the BALL.

And he is good — truly one of the best retrievers we’ve ever seen.

We call him our Mexican Jumping Bean.

Navi is our longest-residing resident here at Dogtree Pines, and he isn’t going anywhere. This is home.

Nubbins wasn't supposed to survive.

Found along the side of a highway in Casa Grande, he lay helpless for days after being struck in the back of the head with a blunt object and thrown from a moving vehicle. Unable to move, he remained there for an estimated three days, slowly becoming infested with ticks as he waited for someone—anyone—to notice he was still alive.

The trauma caused a blood clot in his neck, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.

When we first learned about him, my heart broke. I wanted to help him, but caring for a fully paralyzed dog while managing a sanctuary full of senior dogs wasn't possible. Thankfully, Southwest Oasis Labrador Rescue stepped in. They found fosters willing to take on the impossible and love him through the darkest days of his recovery.

At first, Nubbins couldn't walk. He didn't even remember how to do simple things like eat or drink. But little by little, day by day, he fought his way back.

Three months later, he arrived at Dogtree Pines.

Today, Nubbins is an 85-pound bundle of joy with a crooked gait, a wildly wagging nub tail, and a spirit that simply refuses to quit.

He spends his days exploring the forest trails, patrolling the fence line with his best friend Tucker, and staring into the trees, convinced that one day he'll finally outsmart a squirrel. When volunteers arrive, he's often first in line for a walk—although "walk" isn't exactly the right word. Nubbins prefers to run, and if you're lucky enough to hold his leash, you'd better be ready to keep up.

His favorite volunteer doesn't even make it through the gate before he starts chirping, bouncing, and celebrating. The excitement is impossible to contain.

Watching him today, it's hard to imagine the broken dog lying alone beside a highway.

Nubbins doesn't carry that story with him anymore.

He carries joy. He carries hope. He carries the proof that even after unimaginable cruelty, a life can be rebuilt with love, patience, and people who refuse to give up.

Some dogs are survivors. Nubbins is a miracle.

Some dogs arrive at Dogtree Pines carrying visible scars.

Others carry scars we may never fully see.

Chance arrived with both.

The moment we saw him, we knew his story had not been an easy one. His body was covered in wounds—some old, some fresh. Based on the extent and pattern of his injuries, we suspect he may have been used as a bait dog. His ears were torn and damaged. His body was riddled with puncture wounds. He had severe infections, trauma to his throat, broken bones, and swelling around one eye so significant that we weren't sure if he would ever see from it again.

His body told the story of unimaginable suffering.

But his heart told a different one.

Chance spent the day at Harmony Vet Care undergoing extensive treatment. Wounds were cleaned and drained. Infections were addressed. Medications were started. His veterinary team carefully examined every inch of him, trying to undo some of the damage that had been done.

What amazed everyone wasn't the severity of his injuries.

It was Chance himself.

Despite every reason to be afraid, angry, or distrustful, Chance never growled. Never snapped. Never showed aggression. Not once.

Instead, he leaned into every hand that touched him.

He accepted every bit of care offered to him. He trusted. He loved.

Even after whatever happened to him, he still believes people can be kind. That kind of forgiveness is humbling.

Today, Chance is stable. He's eating. He's breathing comfortably. He's resting safely and beginning the long journey toward healing.

We don't know exactly what his past looked like.

But we know this:

His future will look very different.

Because no matter what happened before, Chance now has something every dog deserves—

A chance.