In September of 2023, Shana Breeden was alerted to the presence of a sick, nearly hairless dog frequenting a convenience store in Houston, Texas.
Determined to help, Breeden, an independent animal rescuer, visited the location after work, hoping to catch the dog with her humane trap. The stray, later named Amethyst, was approaching people in search of food, a sight that moved Breeden.
“She was in such bad shape. You could see that her skin was really rough,” Breeden shared with The Dodo.
Despite spending over an hour trying to capture Amethyst, the dog evaded Breeden’s efforts, leading her to return home for the night.
In the following months, she constantly looked for Amethyst on her drive home, unable to shake the image of the struggling canine from her mind.
Breeden posted about Amethyst on social media, including Facebook and Nextdoor, and enlisted the help of other volunteers to canvass the area for sightings.
Even though some locals had spotted Amethyst, Breeden had no luck finding her and began to fear the worst.
In March, a breakthrough came when a man who saw Breeden’s post on Nextdoor reached out. “He said, ‘I know where she sleeps,’” Breeden recounted.
The man directed Breeden to an abandoned apartment complex in a rough part of town, and without hesitation, she went there immediately.
Upon arrival, Breeden was relieved to see Amethyst still alive, but her condition had worsened. The dog had lost all her fur, and her eyes were infected and swollen.
Despite trying to lure her into a trap again, Amethyst remained elusive. Breeden then sought help from professional trappers, yet Amethyst vanished once more.
The dog’s story spread on Facebook and caught the attention of Heather Lowery, another dedicated animal rescuer in Houston.
“It pulled on my heartstrings,” Lowery said. “Without much thought, I said, ‘I’ll foster this dog.’”
In July, Lowery, her fiancé, and several volunteers set out to find Amethyst. Their efforts paid off when they spotted her within just 15 minutes of searching.
“We were going to have someone dart her to catch her more easily,” Lowery explained, but they decided to handle the situation themselves. After five hours, they managed to catch Amethyst using a kennel.
Once Amethyst was well enough to leave the clinic, she went to live with Lowery. Initially, Amethyst was very timid, keeping her tail tucked tightly underneath her. Yet slowly, her personality began to shine through.
“One day, that tail just started moving,” Lowery exclaimed. “I started screaming to my fiancé, ‘Jeffrey, get down here. Her tail is wagging.’ I couldn’t believe it. It’s so exciting to see her tail wag now.”
Amethyst’s fur began to grow back, first as a small white patch resembling a mohawk on her head, then as orange fur all over. Although she may not regain all of her fur, Lowery insists it’s okay. “We still love her,” she said.