When a message arrived detailing the dire condition of a little dog named Alba, it set off a race against time. With barely any hope left, rescuer Niall Harbison knew he had to act quickly to give this “gentle and fragile soul” a fighting chance. An emotional Instagram video captures the dog’s remarkable transformation, showcasing the life-changing power of compassion.
Watch a fragile dog’s transformation journey so far
Alba’s early life was marked by neglect and hardship. When she was found, her fragile body was tethered to a short chain, and she was so underweight that she seemed “as light as a feather.” According to Harbison, her physical condition was heartbreaking, with severe weight issues compounded by heartworms, anemia, blood parasites, and weakened organs. It was a miracle that Alba found the strength to bark, let alone survive.
Upon rescuing Alba, Harbison saw that she was too vulnerable to stay in a regular shelter. Instead, she required constant, round-the-clock care provided by a devoted team and a compassionate nurse dog named Hank, who refused to leave her side. Her condition was touch-and-go, and there was no guarantee of “a happy ending,” but Alba showed a tenacity that defied her fragile appearance.
After two and a half days of intensive treatment, Alba started to respond positively. This progress, though slight, gave her rescuers a glimmer of hope. Alba, whose name means dawn in Spanish and sunrise in Italian, began to live up to her name as she seemed to fight her way back to life. Her wagging tail became a symbol of her gratitude and determination to survive.
The Instagram community has shown overwhelming support for the dog, flooding the comments section of the video with heartfelt messages of hope and praise for her transformation. “I hope her body is responding to the meds the same way her tail is responding to the delicious poached chicken,” wrote one user. Another commenter said, “I don’t understand how people could harm/neglect dogs. Literally the most precious souls on the planet.”
