On a snowy day, Donna Lochmann, chief life-saving officer at Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL), and her team were driving through the storm, searching for animals in need.
Suddenly, something unusual caught Donna’s attention from her Jeep window—a gray, unmoving clump under a white van.
When the clump shifted slightly, Donna realized it was an animal seeking refuge from the cold. But what kind of animal it was remained a mystery.
The compassionate team stopped immediately to investigate.
A Mysterious Discovery
As the rescuers approached, it was still difficult to tell what they were looking at.
“His hair was so long, you could barely tell which side was his face. You could kind of see his nose,” Donna shared with The Dodo.
Upon closer inspection, Donna discovered the animal was a severely matted dog. His fur was tangled into painful clumps, pulling at his skin. To make matters worse, the snow had soaked his coat, freezing him to the concrete.
“This precious boy was found literally frozen to the pavement,” SRSL wrote in a Facebook post. “After years of neglect, his long, matted hair was full of feces, urine, and ICE.”
Determined to save him, Donna crawled under the van and gently slid a leash around his neck, speaking softly to calm him.
A Painful Rescue
As Donna coaxed the dog out, he let out a piercing cry of discomfort. With skill and patience, she managed to free him and get him into the warm Jeep, wrapping him in a blanket.
The team rushed him to the SRSL hospital, where his condition could be properly assessed.
A Long Road to Freedom
The veterinary team couldn’t perform a full checkup right away because of the severe matting.
“We had to get the hair off of him. It’s a real process when it’s that knotted up,” Donna explained.
Using electric clippers, the vets carefully shaved off the dense mats without causing further pain.
After hours of meticulous work, the dog, now named Pilgrim, was finally free of his six-pound coat of misery.
While grooming Pilgrim, the vets discovered a hidden injury—a fractured pelvis. X-rays confirmed the extent of the damage, and Pilgrim underwent surgery to repair his broken bones.
Within just three weeks, Pilgrim made an incredible recovery. Free from his mats and healed from his injury, he was ready for a new chapter of his life.
A New Beginning
Pilgrim’s story caught the attention of Taylor and Joe, a loving couple eager to foster him. From the moment Pilgrim arrived at their home, he bonded seamlessly with the couple and their other furry companions.
As they spent more time with him, Taylor and Joe realized fostering wasn’t enough—they wanted to make Pilgrim a permanent member of their family.
“Pilgrim fits in so perfectly with our family, so we decided to foster fail,” they shared in a letter to SRSL. “He’s a very happy boy.”
Renamed Oscar, Pilgrim now lives his best life. Surrounded by a loving family, he spends his days playing, cuddling, and basking in the joy of regular brushing sessions to keep his new coat soft and tangle-free.
A Joyful Update
“He’s living a good, comfortable life and brings joy to his family every single day,” SRSL shared in a heartwarming update.
Oscar’s story is a testament to the power of compassion, resilience, and second chances—a reminder that even the most neglected animals can find love and happiness when given the care they deserve.