Bret Winingar and his son, Zach, were out for a motorcycle ride together in the countryside east of Little Rock, Arkansas, when they saw something off to the side of the road that made them stop.
Hidden behind some weeds in a field was a beat-up old animal crate. Something about its odd location and condition told them they should check it out.
As the pair got closer, they noticed that the top of the carrier had been chewed straight through, as if something was trying to get out.
When they unlocked the crate and opened the door, they weren't prepared for what they found.
A large black dog, nothing but skin and bones, feebly wobbled out. Both she and the crate were covered in excrement, and she smelled "so strongly of death that we couldn't stand to be downwind, her white feet stained brown from standing hunched in her own feces."
The dog also had contact sores all over her body from being trapped inside the tiny plastic prison. Who knows how long she had been abandoned there.
Because they had come on their bikes, Bret and Zach had no choice but to leave the dog while they raced home to grab Zach's truck and some dog food. They prayed the dog would still be there when they got back.
Thankfully, she was, and the father and son were able to give the poor starving dog some food.
"I was sure that we were too late," Bret said. "But then I heard an almost inaudible growl, and I thought, "˜If you've got enough strength to growl, you've got enough strength to live,' and we got her loaded up into the back seat of Zach's truck and headed home."
They decided to name the dog Charlie Bravo, a nod to the Honda CB bikes they were riding when they found her.
They gave Charlie a much-needed bath and then took her to the vet to get her checked out.
Poor Charlie's nails had gotten so long that they had grown back into her paws. It was so painful that she could hardly walk.
The vet estimated Charlie was about eight months old and got right to work treating her so she could get healthy and strong.
Bret already owned several dogs, so he planned to just provide Charlie a home while she healed and then find her a forever home. But as time went by and Charlie's sweet personality emerged, the whole family fell in love with her and they knew they couldn't give her up.
Bret has gone on to share Charlie's remarkable story as a way to help others going through difficult times in their lives.
"Breaking down limits, the story of Charlie's crate has left a lasting mark in more ways than one," he said. "Charlie was abandoned in her crate, skin over bones when we found her. To us, that crate is an analogy for every person that lives in a self-imposed prison.
"That could be a dead-end job, an abusive relationship, chemical or alcohol addiction, or the most confining crate of all, the fear of the unknown.
"Charlie is beautiful and happy and blossoming today. She reminds us that with a little help, we can do that too."
After sharing Charlie's story on Facebook, the Winingar received a flood of donations to help cover her medical bills. They received so many donations that they had more left over, which they donated to local animal shelters.
We may never know who the monster was who left Charlie locked up and abandoned in such a cruel way, but thanks to Bret and Zack, she now has a new lease on life and is inspiring others with her strength and positivity.
From now on, she will only know love.
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The post Bikers Find Chewed Up Crate In Field. When They Look Inside Can't Believe Their Eyes appeared first on Good Inside Us.
