Meet LaChrystal Ricke, the mastermind behind “Reggie’s Friends,” a rescue group based in Houston, Texas. After stumbling upon a photograph of a dog sleeping on a grubby sofa outside, she was deeply moved and felt compelled to intervene. Without hesitation, she rushed to his location to bring him to safety.
As per Ricke’s account to Dodo, a dog was seen wandering around in a not-so-pleasant parking lot. To rescue the skinny canine, Ricke headed towards the gas station where he had spotted its picture posted by someone. Clearly, the location wasn’t safe for the dog to be in.
As the sun had set and darkness descended over the dangerous side of town, Ricke finally arrived at the gas station. She knew that the dog, whom she had named Aniken, was counting on her for assistance, so she was determined not to abandon him. However, this proved to be a difficult task as Aniken was nowhere to be seen. In desperation, Ricke turned to Facebook for help, posting a message that read, “Is there anyone out there who could come and lend a hand? I can’t seem to locate Aniken. I believe he has found a safe spot for the night, so I may have to leave without him.”
The following day, two volunteers set out to search for Aniken. Despite knocking on doors and inquiring with locals, they were unsuccessful in their attempts to locate him. It was at this point that a healthy female street dog made an appearance. The volunteers affectionately named her Tessa. Amazingly, Tessa seemed to understand what the volunteers were looking for and led them to a small shack located at the back of the area where locals disposed of garbage, car parts, and food leftovers. To their delight, they found Aniken inside the shack, resting on a seat that had been visible in all the photographs.
Upon arriving at the gas station, Ricke encountered two volunteers and was thrilled to see Aniken. Together with Tessa, they made the decision to take Aniken to the rescue center. Initially, they believed that Aniken was just a malnourished stray dog, but they soon discovered that his condition was far more dire than they had imagined.
Upon their return home, they noticed a large infected wound on Aniken as he emerged from his crate, prompting Ricke and her husband to rush him to the emergency vet at BluePearl. Unfortunately, the medical team uncovered even more problems with Aniken, including ticks that had fully fed on him and put immense stress on his organs. Additionally, the team discovered that Aniken had been used as a bait dog, which was the most severe case they had ever encountered. The heartbreaking truth was that the poor dog had been subjected to target practice.
Initially, Ricke was skeptical about the claim. She thought that the term had been used too frequently. However, her doubts were dispelled when the veterinarian revealed to her that Aniken had lost most of his teeth, making it impossible for him to retaliate by biting. This revelation made Ricke realize that the dog was a victim in multiple ways.
Aniken’s body is marked with scars and wounds that refuse to heal. The situation worsened due to a tick infestation which led to severe infections in his wounds, rendering them unable to heal properly. Additionally, his blood was not clotting as it should have.
As we looked at Aniken, we noticed that his wounds were still bleeding. It was clear that someone had attempted to sew them up manually. Upon closer inspection of the scars on his face, it became evident that he had been through a lot. Aniken was a bait dog, and his abusers had no intention of giving him a comfortable life. However, he has come a long way since then. Aniken had to stay at the medical center for some time, where a nurse provided him with the best possible care. She even placed a stuffed elephant beside him to keep him company and make him feel safe.
Aniken was a victim of torture and was left with nothing. However, he found solace in the medical center where he had his stuffed elephant to keep him company. Even though he is still far from being completely healed, Aniken has come to terms with the fact that his past life will always be behind him. He eventually moved to a foster home, but not without his trusted companion, his stuffed elephant.
It’s a mystery what memories dogs keep and what they let go of. However, Aniken can finally say goodbye to his traumatic past of being left on dirty armchairs at a gas station. He was a bait dog, subjected to abuse and neglect with no love in sight. Thankfully, that chapter of his life is now closed.
