After spending years just trying to stay alive out on the cold and dangerous streets, Helen thought she’d never get to experience anything other than hardship and loneliness. But one day, a tourist happened to spot her, and suddenly everything changed.

A woman was on vacation in Romania when she noticed a sad-looking dog sleeping in the street. Her heart broke for the little stray, and while many people would have just kept on walking, this woman decided to take action.

She called the animal rescue organisation Howl Of A Dog, which is located in Romania and rescues and rehomes animals in need. When they received the woman’s call, they immediately sent out a team of rescuers to bring the stray in.

While waiting for the rescuers to show up, the woman decided to gather some more information about the stray’s status. She spoke to several shop owners and found out that the pup had been living in the area for several years.

The stray would regularly come and beg for scraps, and they believed that she’d been a stray her whole life. The poor little pup had had to spend every day of her life fending for herself and worrying about where to find shelter and where to find her next meal.

The woman waited with the pup until the rescuers finally arrived at the scene and she could be sure the dog was in safe hands. The rescuers gently convinced the pup to come with them, and the drove the two hours back to the shelter.

They were worried about the little stray, who they decided to name Helen, and they wanted to get her checked out as soon as possible. After living on the streets for so long, it was likely that she was not only malnourished but that she also suffered from infection or disease or some other untreated medical issues.

Back at the shelter, the vet examined her and found that Helen was suffering from the tick-borne disease Anaplasmosis. The vet also discovered that Helen had most likely spent a whole six years living on the streets.

But now, those long, horrible years were behind her and a new, brighter chapter of her life was just beginning. She received antibiotics for her Anaplasmosis and got all the care she needed to grow strong and healthy. Once her health issues were behind her, she was put up for adoption and Helen quickly found exactly what she was looking for.