#1
This is Petra, a 5-year-old mixed breed stray who was spotted last year outside Athens, Greece. A woman noticed how peculiar she looked and for good reasonher entire face was completely hardened like stone.
The woman took pictures of Petra and posted them on Facebook with the hope that someone would take notice and help her. At that time, the dog was sick and terrified of humans. It seemed like she had never interacted with humans before and she kept running away whenever someone tried to get close to her.
#2
Valia Orfanidou of Save a Greek Stray shelter was the one who finally captured the stray. She has rehabilitated many dogs over the years and she knew what to do to help the poor animal. She decided to name her Petra, which means "stone" in Greek.
It turned out that a severe case of mange was the cause of her stone-like appearance and she had to be treated for virtually everything, from mange to a horrible infection called leishamiasis, which is a deadly condition caused by the spread of bugs on a dog's body.
#3
But even after treating her, Petra still had a lot of problems. It was obvious that she had never felt the touch of a human before and she had no desire to interact with them. She never wanted to leave the cage and she hid or growled every time she was approached by other dogs in the shelter.
Valia refused to give up on her, but she says the first time she approached Petra, the poor thing was so scared she went to the bathroom in her cage. The second time wasn't any easier; it took her an hour to convince Petra to walk just a few meters away from her cage.
#4
After a few weeks, Petra got braver and Valia's efforts paid off. She became a completely different dog who is friendlier and more willing to get out of her cage and interact with people.
#5
Valia says Petra started wagging her tail and was more willing to play with them and other dogs in the shelter. She became more than ready to be loved and today, you can't even recognize her!
#6
The shelter feels that Petra is ready for a new home, so if you're looking for a new pet, get in touch with Valia Orfanidou ([email protected]) for more information!
