Sweet Pittie Goes From Deserted House To Forever Home Thanks To Rescuers

It's hard to imagine many things more heartbreaking than an abandoned dog or cat. All around the world, rescue organizations with volunteer staff and shoestring budgets work to save the lives of needy animals like Oscar Mayer, a sweet pit bull who was left behind in a deserted house.

In a video shared by The Dodo on YouTube that's been viewed more than 233,000 times, Oscar Mayer howled out the window of an empty home, catching the attention of Donna Lochmann, Chief Life Saving Officer at Stray Rescue of Saint Louis. Using calm words and tasty treats, she lured him up a makeshift ramp (a wooden door propped on an old mattress) to a basement window leading outside. "Once he got out, he was just the nicest boy," Lochmann told The Dodo. The precious pittie was soon adopted. Lochmann said, "He's doing great in his new home. I can't imagine that this dog is going to be much of anything other than a couch potato."

Viewers were delighted with this outcome for him. "A couch potato life for this big boy sounds wonderful!" one commented, while another declared, "Somewhere right now Oscar is probably snoring on a couch and that makes me so happy." Several netizens took the time to thank both Lochmann and Oscar Mayer's new owner, with one writing, "Imagine how many days he waited, hoping someone would finally notice him. Huge respect to the people who stopped and helped. ❤"

Many people don't realize that the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and smaller humane societies across the United States don't usually receive government funding. These independent organizations tend to be nonprofits that rely on donations and grants in order to carry out their life-saving work. There are ways to help pet shelters without adopting or giving money, such as volunteering your time at a shelter or temporarily fostering an animal in need. Local SPCAs only exist thanks to the generosity of countless big-hearted individuals.

Several viewers of the YouTube video recognized Donna Lochmann from her tireless years of helping animals. "Donna is the meaning of a true rescuer!! She's been helping strays get off the streets in St. Louis for many, many years!! A rockstar!!" one exclaimed, and another wrote, "Donna is another hero without a cape. ❤️🙏" We're sure Oscar Mayer would agree.

Want to read more uplifting stories about plucky pups who find new lives full of joy, treats, and endless snuggles on the couch? Check out this rescue dog who was "starved for attention," but now his happiness is contagious, and this rescue dog who comes home with anxiety, but everything changes when he finds his voice.