VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A Virginia Beach couple is taking action to treat a dog found malnourished on the side of the road.
Alex Nelson was driving home from work on Robin Hood Road when he spotted the dog on December 15.
“I thought it was a cat I was just shocked with the way she looked, all the scabs. She looked like she was in pain,” said Nelson.
He called his girlfriend Caitlyn Bedwell and they took the dog to the veterinarian.
You could see the dog’s rib cage because she was so underweight and she was covered in fleas and scabs.
“I just immediately started crying. I don't know how anyone can do that. I don't know how anyone could do anything like that to something so sweet but I knew we needed to help her. That was my first instinct,” said Bedwell.
Nelson said the vet told him there was a 50/50 chance she would make it.
For the past few weeks they’ve been nursing her back to health. At first, they called her Doggo until they learned her personality and now goes by Padme.
They said she is now part of their family.
They started a gofundme account in an effort help pay for some of her medical expenses.
“There were so many people that were willing to reach out to us. We had someone donate $150 and they don't even know who we are. I never met them,” said Bedwell, “We gave our time and our home to her but the community really rallied behind around all the expensive stuff that we can’t afford.”
