Gretchen aka GiGi

Meet Gretchen — the little miracle who never stopped hoping <br/><br/> <br/><br/>Late one night on a Houston roadside, Gretchen had every reason to give up... but she didn't. Limping, painfully underweight, with crunchy, hairless skin and a body that had clearly endured far too much, she used the tiniest scrap of luck she had left to cross paths with a rescuer.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>At the shelter the next day, more hard news came: Gretchen was heartworm positive. And with the shelter at critical capacity, she landed on the euthanasia list just four days after arriving.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>But one photo of those pleading puppy eyes was all it took — we knew we couldn't let her story end there. She was pulled to safety and placed with an amazing foster in Houston until she could travel to us in Colorado.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>While in foster care, her limp continued, and x-rays during her spay revealed a fracture. Thankfully, surgery wasn't required, but strict activity restriction was. She began heartworm treatment as well — slow, careful, and expensive, but absolutely worth every step for this brave girl.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> Today, Gretchen is blooming.<br/><br/>She's now in Colorado, gaining strength, healthy weight, and a full coat of beautiful new fur. A recent x-ray shows the fracture still healing, so she needs more rest, and she still has her heartworm journey ahead. But her spirit? Stronger than ever.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Gretchen is still a bit timid at first, but once she trusts you, she is all sweetness. She looks like a dachshund on elegant greyhound legs — a truly unique little beauty. She does well with respectful kids and other dogs, and her favorite place in the world is snuggled right up against her person, whether that's on the couch or tucked into bed.<br/><br/> <br/><br/> Gretchen's care has already cost far more than we anticipated — heartworm treatment, diagnostics, x-rays, follow-ups, medications, and continued orthopedic monitoring.<br/><br/>If you'd like to donate toward her recovery and help us continue saying “yes” to dogs like her, we would be incredibly grateful. Even $5 truly makes a difference.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Donate today:<br/><br/> Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/Denkai-AnimalSanctuary<br/><br/> PayPal Giving Fund: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/1232488<br/><br/> Website: www.denkaisanctuary.org<br/><br/> <br/><br/> Ready to give Gretchen the soft, safe life she's always deserved?<br/><br/>Submit an adoption application here:<br/><br/> https://www.wagtopia.com/search/pet?id=2517792&name=Gretchen+aka+GiGi

Meet Gretchen — the little miracle who never stopped hoping



Late one night on a Houston roadside, Gretchen had every reason to give up... but she didn't. Limping, painfully underweight, with crunchy, hairless skin and a body that had clearly endured far too much, she used the tiniest scrap of luck she had left to cross paths with a rescuer.



At the shelter the next day, more hard news came: Gretchen was heartworm positive. And with the shelter at critical capacity, she landed on the euthanasia list just four days after arriving.



But one photo of those pleading puppy eyes was all it took — we knew we couldn't let her story end there. She was pulled to safety and placed with an amazing foster in Houston until she could travel to us in Colorado.



While in foster care, her limp continued, and x-rays during her spay revealed a fracture. Thankfully, surgery wasn't required, but strict activity restriction was. She began heartworm treatment as well — slo

Meet Gretchen — the little miracle who never stopped hoping



Late one night on a Houston roadside, Gretchen had every reason to give up... but she didn't. Limping, painfully underweight, with crunchy, hairless skin and a body that had clearly endured far too much, she used the tiniest scrap of luck she had left to cross paths with a rescuer.



At the shelter the next day, more hard news came: Gretchen was heartworm positive. And with the shelter at critical capacity, she landed on the euthanasia list just four days after arriving.



But one photo of those pleading puppy eyes was all it took — we knew we couldn't let her story end there. She was pulled to safety and placed with an amazing foster in Houston until she could travel to us in Colorado.



While in foster care, her limp continued, and x-rays during her spay revealed a fracture. Thankfully, surgery wasn't required, but strict activity restriction was. She began heartworm treatment as well — slow, careful, and expensive, but absolutely worth every step for this brave girl.



Today, Gretchen is blooming.

She's now in Colorado, gaining strength, healthy weight, and a full coat of beautiful new fur. A recent x-ray shows the fracture still healing, so she needs more rest, and she still has her heartworm journey ahead. But her spirit? Stronger than ever.