Charlie had no trouble surviving as a wild dog in Highbridge Park, Manhattan, with his feral gang.
He adored being able to travel freely with his friends while being well-fed by the caring locals. However, a senior Charlie was the last of his group after a decade. As winter set in, he became ill by the day, but he vehemently rejected the humans who sought to heal him.
Finally, a local woman named Denise Lauffer came to Charlie’s rescue. To gain the dog’s trust, she constructed a rudimentary cardboard shelter and began camping in the park. Denise shouted out with relief when a freezing Charlie stepped forward and snuggled up to her after spending two very chilly nights outside!
Despite his closeness with Denise, Charlie was still afraid of humans. Getting him to the veterinarian was a struggle. Lyme’s illness had been discovered, and his bones were in poor condition. When the community found out about Charlie’s large medical mill, they organized a campaign and gathered nearly $19,000 to assist him!
Charlie found it tough to move in with Denise in her modest apartment after spending his entire life in the huge park. Charlie gradually accepted his warm and cozy existence with his new mother, which was a pleasant blessing in his golden years!
Charlie’s difficult rescue after ten years as a wild dog can be seen in the video below.
