When trash collector Nathan Binnie went to get the trash can at one residence, he was in for the shock of his life. As he picked up the can to dump the trash, he found a skeletal dog inside. Barely alive, the dog had been thrown in the trash can three days before by her former owner.

This is the story of a dog’s fight for survival and how she overcame her bad situation to help other dogs going through hardships.

Thrown away with the trash

The former owner of the dog (who had originally been named Mia) had no longer wanted the animal and had decided to get rid of her prior to moving to Texas to be with her boyfriend. Instead of simply giving the dog away or turning her over to the local shelter, Fawna’s old owner decided to throw her in the trash.

Even before throwing Fawna away, her owner had been neglectful, seldom feeding the poor dog to the point to where she was just skin and bones. In fact, Fawna’s owner cowardly act is probably what ended up saving her life. When she was found by Binnie, she was at last able to get the help she needed to begin her recovery.

“I pulled her out and made sure she was half okay, I guess as much as I could,” said Binnie in a CBS interview. “And I actually fed her my lunch. I could tell she was hungry, and I had a good turkey sandwich I thought she’d enjoy.”

Taken to safety

After feeding her his lunch, he took her to the Humane Society of Westmoreland County. It was there that she was given the love and care she needed to recover. One worker, in particular, Megan Fritz, was drawn to the neglected dog. She even took Fawna home with her so that she could make sure she was fed twice daily.

Justice for Fawna

As for Fawna’s former owner, she was found and charged with animal cruelty. She received a fine of $620, much more than it would have cost her to simply turn Fawna over to a shelter. She also had to perform community service. Best of all, Fawna’s owner will no longer be able to adopt a dog in the state of Pennsylvania.

The police were able to track her down because Fawna was microchipped, which showed who the dog’s previous owner was. In addition, the police were also able to seize the owner’s phone, which contained texts that detailed what had happened leading up to the dog’s abandonment.

Paying it forward

Fawna was able to make a full recovery, doubling her body weight in the process and actually being adopted by Megan, the worker who had cared for her from the beginning. In addition to a new home, Fawna now has a big brother to look out for her, a Great Dane named Steve who is also owned by Megan.

“She plays, she eats, she’s having a great time and really, she’s not a little scared, timid, zombie dog anymore,” said Fawna’s owner Megan. “She’s really just very happy, very healthy, and very well adjusted.”

During her recovery, Megan determined that Fawna had a lot of the qualities looked for in a support dog. In fact, Fawna started receiving training for this role soon after her recovery was complete. Fawna now acts as a therapy dog for other dogs. Here is a video with more on Fawna’s heartbreaking story.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Relieved Join your friends or be the first to like our page

Source: WATE-TV Pittsburgh