Izabella St. James, known as a dedicated pug mom and rescuer, is the heart and soul behind The Pug Queen, a non-profit she founded to save pugs from suffering and give them the lives they deserve.
While pugs will always hold a special place in her heart, she didn’t hesitate for a second when she saw a heartbreaking post about a boxer puppy in desperate need of help.
Losing to much blood
The poor puppy, covered in ”thousands” of ticks, was discovered collapsed on a driveway in Fresno, California. Isaac, the man who found her, immediately took action after a closer look at her fur, scooping the pup up and keeping her safe while waiting for help to arrive.
Upon hearing the news, The Pug Queen reached out, her heart breaking for the tiny soul. ”She stole my heart immediately. I have never seen a dog with this many TICKS. I instantly offered to pay for her vet visit if anyone could take her to get Bravecto ASAP, an exam and testing,” she shared.
Amy from The House Of Muddy Paws, a rescue in Fresno, also stepped in, rushing the puppy to the vet before spending hours painstakingly removing ticks from her tiny body. The process was grueling, and after some time, Amy had to stop because the puppy was losing too much blood.
”She has anemia so we have to be careful. The ticks will continue to die & fall off throughout the night,” the rescue posted, showing the severity of her condition.
Took her to Los Angeles
The Pug Queen didn’t just stop at offering moral support — she also paid the $438 vet bill, ensuring the puppy could receive the urgent care she needed. But her work didn’t end there. She arranged for the puppy to be transported to Los Angeles, where Wayne, a foster dad for pugs, would care for her while she continued to heal.
The puppy, named Precious Betty, finally started to experience the love and care she so desperately needed.
Her future looked much brighter and Izabella was closely monitoring her progress, sharing that “I would like to do a more complex, more expensive tick PCR test to be sure. I’d also like to do a Respiratory PCR test & a fecal test to make sure she has nothing contagious before I feel comfortable sending her to a Foster Home.”
And after a long journey of recovery and love, Precious Betty found her forever home. The pup, once covered in ticks and struggling to survive, has now been adopted by Katie and her family, making her a beloved member of their household.
On the very first day in her foster home, Katie and her family knew Betty was there to stay. As Izabella St. James shared: “Talk about foster failing!”
Changed her name
Katie, who had previously adopted Betty Spaghetti the Pug from Izabella, clearly has a soft spot for dogs with the name “Betty,” but it quickly became clear that this Betty needed a new name to reflect her fresh start. And so, Betty the Boxer was lovingly renamed Bean, a name that now symbolizes her new, bright future.
Izabella expressed her joy in seeing this little neglected Boxer finally find the love she deserves: “This little neglected, starved Boxer girl has been ADOPTED by one of our wonderful TPQ families. Her name is BEAN. And she is very lucky Bean indeed!”
Katie, who is also the founder and CEO of Unique-Vintage.com, has been a long-time supporter of The Pug Queen. She previously donated pug sweaters for the organization’s raffles and has shown a commitment to supporting women of all sizes through her company. Izabella took a moment to highlight Katie’s dedication: “If you haven’t heard of her company, please check it out. She stands for women of all sizes, and I love when us pug ladies can support each other.”
Thanks to the generosity and love of Katie, Eric, and their girls, Bean now has a forever home filled with care and affection. It’s a heartwarming ending to a story that began with neglect but is now filled with hope and happiness.
This story is a testament to the power of compassion and the unyielding love of animal rescuers. With the support of dedicated souls like Izabella and Amy, this precious puppy will finally know what it’s like to be loved, safe, and cherished – share this story if you liked to read about Betty!
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