Lilo, The Innocent Puppy Who Was Left for the Vultures

Dogs are man’s best friend and they are the best at providing us with unconditional love. Sadly, not all of these furry friends get the same respect in return. Tragically, there are some dog owners who do not take proper care of their sweet puppies. Such is the case of Lilo the Pit Bull puppy. She grew up in a home without enough love, but her story is a fascinating one. Read on to discover Lilo’s fate.

Greensboro, North Carolina is a rural area that is no stranger to all sorts of different wildlife. And in this quaint town rests the Phillips Avenue neighborhood. But one fateful evening there was an ominous presence in the sky that put the residents of the town on edge.

Vultures are associated with death since they typically feast on the remains of animals who have died, rather than hunting their own prey. You might remember the vultures in The Lion King. Thus, these scavenger birds have earned a name for themselves as being a very ominous presence; almost an evil one.

The residents were so shocked and concerned by the presence of the birds that one decided to investigate. He traced the birds to where they were circling, which happened to be in his neighbor’s backyard. He was completely taken aback by what he saw there.

The neighbor was absolutely devastated by the sight of the helpless dog. How could someone allow their pet to be in these conditions? They would later find out that the dog was a 8-month-old pit bull puppy named Lilo. She had spent most of her short life chained to this tree.

From the looks of it, Lilo was giving up. The dog was laying next to the tree completely unresponsive. Whatever needed to be done had to happen immediately. They were already in the dead of winter and the temperatures were only growing colder each and every night. The vultures had already been circling for about a week. Lilo didn’t have much time left.

As the neighbor waited for the authorities they couldn’t help but wait anxiously. Would they even be able to help Lilo once they arrived? Would they be too late? They could hardly stand the sight of the skinny little Lilo laying helplessly in the cold. The vultures were coming closer and closer, adding to the anxiety of the situation.

By the time the authorities finally arrived, the vultures had grown in numbers and were flying closer to Lilo. There were 2 vultures perched upon her dog house, looking like they were ready to pounce as soon as the puppy drew her last breath. Animal control was shocked and horrified by the scene in front of them. They were glad that the neighbor had investigated and discovered the terrible situation.

Animal control wasn’t going to let the eight-month-old puppy die. They made their move and entered the backyard to scare the vultures away. A reporter was also there to document the case and took a photo that would later be instrumental in Lilo’s recovery.

The officers took Lilo to a shelter at Guilford County Animal Control. There she would be cared for, nurtured, and fed. There were still questions, however, about why she was neglected. Who were her owners? Why did they not care for her?

A few days turned into weeks. There were still no signs of Lilo’s owners coming to pick her up or calling for an update. Considering the traumatic experience Lilo had with them, perhaps this was a blessing in disguise.

An undeserving stigma haunts Pit Bulls as a breed. They have a reputation for being violent and problematic dogs because people often abuse them to train them for illegal dogfighting.

Many shelters have strict policies regarding Pit Bulls. They have a rule that people cannot adopt Pit Bulls. The shelter Lilo was at has this same policy. So, if her owners didn’t come to claim her, nobody could adopt her. Instead, the shelter would have to euthanize her.

Lilo had been at the shelter for weeks now and the shelter may have to resort to life ending measures. But is there really nothing that anyone can do? Lilo’s chance of surviving hung on a thread of one last option.

The photo from the reporter on the day of Lilo’s rescue played an important role in her life. An organization called the Merit Pit Bull Foundation saw the image of Lilo with the vultures and arrived at the shelter.

The Merit Pit Bull Foundation was able to find a foster home for Lilo. Thanks to them, Lilo was out of looming danger. A local couple, Kaena Lynch and Travis Henley, saw Lilo’s photo in the paper and decided to foster her.

When Kaena and Travis came to get Lilo, it was love at first sight. Not long after taking her in, they realized they didn’t want to be just a temporary home for her. They wanted Lilo to become a permanent family member.

Finally finding a forever family was great news for Lilo. However, this new life didn’t come without some challenges. Lilo had a traumatic past and was used to being chained outdoors all her life.

After Lilo spent some time recovering, Kaena and Travis decided it was time for her to receive training. Although they believed it was best for her, they also knew it came with additional risks.

Lilo’s traumatic past didn’t get in the way of her training! She took to it well and was incredibly well-behaved. After a year of recovery, Kaena and Travis said that her face seems like she is always smiling when you look at her.

Lilo has transformed from a malnourished, neglected puppy to a happy, healthy puppy with a loving family, including two dog friends. Kaena and Travis try to make up for her traumatic past and give her plenty of attention.

Kaena has explained that Lilo still has issues. “I cannot leave her in the backyard by herself, she comes to the door and cries. She really just wants to be with you,” Kaena said. This reaction is understandable since Lilo spent so much time neglected and chained alone in a backyard before.

Despite Lilo’s previous traumatic experiences, Kaena says, “She has never held a grudge for her past and loves everyone she meets.” Lilo has recovered to be a happy-go-lucky dog that savors life. She is also kind-hearted, caring, loving, a little quirky, and loves to be pampered!

Since Animal Control rescued her, Lilo has also started to help other dogs recover and get back on their feet. She has become an ambassador for at-risk Pit Bulls all around the world. Kaena and Lilo travel the country to different schools in order to change the stigma around Pit Bulls.

Lilo’s great recovery has also led her to train to become a therapy dog, similar to her sister Gemma. Therapy dogs provide emotional assistance to people in retirement homes, hospitals, schools, and disaster areas. They support rehabilitation by giving comfort and unconditional love in a way that only dogs can uniquely do.

Lilo has also been helping The Merit Pit Foundation and its mission. Founded in 2012, the Foundation aims to “improve the lives of bully-type dogs and the people who love them.” The Foundation educates the public about Pit Bulls, rescues Pit Bulls, and helps provide placements for at-risk Pit Bulls.

The Merit Foundation is also an advocate for adopting dogs instead of buying them from pet stores. Why is this important? Firstly, shelters across the United States euthanize tens of thousands of dogs each year because they can’t find homes for them.

People who breed dogs and sell them to pet stores have few regulations to prevent them from operating an unethical business. For this reason, puppy farms often exist. One definition of a puppy farm is “a dog breeding operation in which the dogs’ health is disregarded to maintain a low overhead and maximize profits.”

To understand just how bad puppy farms can be, here’s an example from 2014. Authorities saved over 100 dogs from a puppy farm in Tennessee, and all the dogs were suffering from various painful and untreated conditions. The rescue spokesman said the dogs had “eye infections, respiratory conditions, dental issues, severe matting that limited their mobility and vision, and urine-soaked, feces-caked fur.”

Despite the countless animals facing cruelty and neglect, stories like Lilo’s still exist to remind us that lives can be saved. Kaena is grateful the photo of Lilo and the vultures was taken so that Lilo could be rescued.

By sharing the valuable lesson about Pit Bulls in schools and alongside the Merit Pit Bull Foundation, Kaena and Travis hope it’ll save other dogs in the future. Dogs are known as “man’s best friend.” However, being best friends is not a one-way street. As much love and affection that dogs provide us, they deserve just as much in return!