<div><p>Two years ago Petra the dog was living a very different life - in fact, she was dying a slow and painful death in Athens, Greece. </p><p>She was practically skeletal when rescuers finally convinced her that it was safe to come off the street. The 5-year-old mixed breed was sick, terrified and living every day as though it would be her last. </p><p>Because she was so afraid of human touch, it took a long time for rescuers to convince her that she would be safe in their hands.</p><div><figure><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-14.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-14_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-14_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-14_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-14_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-14_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank">Valia Orfanidou</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>Valia Orfanidou welcomed Petra (Greek for stone) to the Save a Greek Stray shelter in Oropos, Greece. </p><p>"I think she's always been a stray because she looked like she had never been around people," Orfanidou told The Dodo. "Even dogs in that condition, if they've been around people are more friendly. Petra looked like she had never been touched."</p><div><figure><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-15.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-15_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-15_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-15_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-15_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-15_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank">Valia Orfanidou</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>The poor dog was treated for everything from mange to skin infections that caused painful scabs and lesions. She had an infection that could have become deadly if they left it untreated.</p><div><figure><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-16.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-16_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-16_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-16_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-16_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-16_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank">Valia Orfanidou</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>The terrified girl was so afraid of humans that she refused to leave her enclosure, but Orfanidou refused to give up on her - even after she went to the bathroom in her cage.</p><div><figure><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-17.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-17_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-17_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-17_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-17_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-17_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank">Valia Orfanidou</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>Slowly, Petra began to come around and grew a little braver with every day. With lots of love and affection, Petra's mange healed and her fur grew back - along with her confidence!</p><div><figure><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-18.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-18_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank">Valia Orfanidou</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><div><figure><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-19.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-19_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-19_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-19_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-19_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-19_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank">Valia Orfanidou</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>Now, she's smiling and loving her life! </p><div><figure><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-20.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-20_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-20_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-20_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-20_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-20_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/dog-turned-stone-rescued-1585263044.html" target="_blank">Valia Orfanidou</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>Visit more animals available for adoption like Petra at <a href="http://www.adoptapet.com/">Adopt-a-pet.com</a></p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p></div>
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