When Hurricane Ida swept through New Orleans, many people and pets were impacted by the category 4 storm. One of those dogs was a pit bull named Bubbles, who was chained up outside by himself to brave the deadly storm, then spent days trapped in the rubble — hungry, thirsty, frightened, and desperate for help.
Bubbles’ lucky break finally came when a neighbor noticed a terrified dog stuck under a collapsed shed. That person flagged down a nearby disaster response team, which was working to help people and pets affected by the hurricane. After hearing about Bubbles’ dangerous predicament, rescuers from the Humane Rescue Alliance rushed to the scene.
Working in tandem with the Louisiana SPCA, rescuers rushed to free the dog from the rubble. But as rescuers pulled away the debris, they came to another disturbing realization. In addition to finding himself trapped, Bubbles had been chained up outside to weather a storm so big much of New Orleans had been ordered to evacuate.
“We suspect the dog had been stuck there – terrified in the sweltering heat with no food or water—since Hurricane Ida hit on Sunday,” rescuers wrote on Facebook. By the time Bubbles was rescued, it was Wednesday. The dog hadn’t had food or water for 4 days.
“Our team carefully lifted the shed enough so we could guide the dog out from underneath and free him from the chain,” rescuers explained. Incredibly, this miracle dog had survived this terrifying ordeal unscathed.
“Thankfully, and perhaps miraculously, the dog—who a young neighbor watching the rescue named Bubbles—was not injured,” HRA rescuers recalled.
But the best part of the story is what happened when Bubbles realized he was finally safe. The fearful pup instantly transformed into a friendly, grateful, and affectionate dog determined to thank rescuers for saving his life.
“Once freed from the shed, Bubbles was super friendly and sweet and became almost immediately affectionate toward his rescuers,” Humane Rescue Alliance wrote.
It’s always an honor to be recognized by animals — the way they can easily grow fond of you makes you feel special. Sometimes they’d approach you first as they intend to be your friend. Those moments often happen when you live close to the woods. You’ll be living like a fairytale character that gets to interact with the wild animals even from afar. Also, they can sense who’s a threat or not — they are drawn to your kindness if they choose to mingle with you. Sometimes it’s out of curiosity, especially when you’re a newcomer. And if they can recognize a good person, animals could also acknowledge beautiful music.
