Photographer Rabecca Cruz was snapping photos of a house off the interstate in Dade City, Florida when she heard what sounded like the cries and wails of a small animal.
“I just heard a very loud cry, but it was a distress call. You could tell the animal was hurt, in pain, scared,” she said.
As Rabecca approached the nearby railroad tracks, the sounds grew louder. That’s when she made a discovery that made her heart sink.
Hidden by the thick brush was a teeny tiny newborn puppy: huddled up and squealing for help. When Rabecca knelt down to pluck the puppy out of the weeds, she realized she was attached to the ground.
That’s because someone had tied up her fragile leg. Rabecca was so stunned that she began shaking. But despite the horror of it all, the pair of fated friends had two things going for them.
When she’s not taking photos and working on shoots, Rabecca volunteers at her local animal rescue. And secondly, this little puppy — so young at the time, her eyes were barely opened and her umbilical cord was still attached — proved to be quite the fighter.
If you know someone who might like this, please click “Share!”