Natalie Olivieri, an experienced dog rescuer, stated that Harper was extremely frightened and had suffered severe abuse. Harper was found by Olivieri in the vast expanse of Redland, Florida (commonly referred to as “The Redlands”). Olivieri, who is the vice president of Furever Bully Love Rescue, a rescue organization located in Orlando, discovered Harper in this region. According to Olivieri, this area is often used as a dumping ground for dogs, where they are abandoned without any regard for their well-being.
The Redland Rock Pit Abandoned Dog Project is another charitable organization that provides food for the stray dogs in The Redlands on a daily basis. Jessie Pena, who holds the position of Vice President in the group, disclosed that they use about 350 pounds of kibble to feed approximately 100 dogs. Unfortunately, there are still more dogs in need of assistance than they can cater to.
According to Pena, the number of dogs in our area is quite high, but our coverage is limited as Redland Island is extensive. In February of last year, Furever Bully Love Rescue collaborated with Redland Rock Pit to collect funds for dog food and to save some dogs residing in the locality. Olivieri and three other volunteers of Furever Bully Love Rescue traveled to The Redlands to connect with the other charitable organization’s volunteers.
Olivieri had an unforgettable experience recently. He recounted the moment when they arrived at a secluded location that would have been impossible to find without assistance. The Redland Rock Pit volunteers set up tables and started serving food, and as they did, some dogs started showing up. It was then that they came across Harper, a hound mix who was estimated to have lived in the field for about five months seen by the volunteers on their prior visits to The Redlands.
According to Olivieri, when Harper arrived, around five other dogs accompanied her, and Harper’s arrival caused her to fall to the ground in terror. Harper bore scars on her head and back and was noticeably afraid of others. Olivieri claimed that Harper had undoubtedly been mistreated and ignored, and leaving her there was not an option. While rescuers were able to put a leash around Harper’s neck, she refused to move when they tried to return her to the truck. Olivieri remarked, “We had to get Harper.” Harper and two other dogs from The Redlands were taken to the vet for a thorough examination when Olivieri and the other Furever Bully Love Rescue volunteers returned to Orlando. Harper was treated for anemia, worms, and a tooth infection. Harper’s fear problems, however, would take a long time to heal. According to Olivieri, she did not stand up for almost three days, and she clung to anyone who picked her up as if her life depended on it.
According to Jennifer Adorno, the president of Furever Bully Love Rescue, she had never experienced a dog holding onto her so tightly. However, due to the traumatized state of such dogs, it is unclear whether this behavior is due to a sense of comfort or fear of falling. Harper, a rescued dog from Furever Bully Love Rescue, has been placed under foster care with Cheryl Kessler, who has already noticed significant positive changes in Harper’s behavior. Kessler reports that Harper now runs around outside and behaves like any other dog, which is a pleasure to watch. In roughly five months, Harper will be adoptable along with other homeless dogs available on the Redland Rock Pit Abandoned Dog Project website. If you’re interested in adopting Harper or another rescue dog, contact Furever Bully Love Rescue.
