- Dareth Murphy was with her family when she noticed a dog was chained up outside and left out in the cold
- She asked around and learned the dog has been left outside for 12 years
- Without being able to contact the owners to ask for a surrender, she took the dog and brought him to a new home
- Buddy now lives comfortably inside with a retired couple
Sometimes, doing the right thing can be a tough thing. Dareth Murphy learned this when she rescued a dog stranded out in the cold.
Murphy tells PEOPLE exclusively how she was able to muster the strength to save a dog from being left outside for more than a decade.
“I first noticed the dog chained outside a little over two years ago. My brother lives on the same street, and I remember first noticing him when we visited for Christmas in 2022,” Murphy recalls.
In West Virginia, where Murphy lives, the state law claims an owner must provide access to “adequate shelter,” and by the state’s definition, that means it must be an area out of direct sunlight with enough room to sit, stand, lie and turn around. The area also must offer access to food and water.
Murphy took it upon herself to find more information about the situation before taking action.
“I wanted to find out if he ever goes inside, how old he is and how long he has been out there. A neighbor recalled when they got the pup back in 2011. It wasn’t long before he was chained up,” Murphy shares. “A neighbor had cut a hole through his fence to slide plates of food to the dog. It was heartbreaking to know how long this had been going on, and I couldn’t go another day with him out there.”
Murphy tells PEOPLE that she decided to act after hearing the stories. She devised a plan to contact the owners to get them to surrender the dog.
“In the morning, and with barely any sleep, I decided to knock on the door and ask for a surrender. After a few minutes, I walked back to my car in defeat. The next morning, I returned with no answer yet again. I thought about taking him and leaving a note, but fear got the best of me,” Murphy recalls. “On the third morning, I knocked, walked around the property, determined to make contact with the owner. Once again, no one came to the door. I knew it was now or never, so I unchained the dog in broad daylight and guided him to the getaway car.”
Dareth Murphy
Murphy describes the emotions she was feeling when she rescued the dog, now named Buddy.
“It was quite an adrenaline rush. It was never my plan or intention to take him. I wanted so badly to ask for surrender, to promise to give the dog a better life in his golden years,” she says. “After years of seeing this go on in my state, I couldn’t take it anymore.”
Murphy originally posted about the dog on Facebook, looking to get either answers or solutions, when a retired couple reached out, offering help and to adopt the dog if Murphy could get a surrender. Once Murphy got the dog in her car, she drove him directly to the couple, where they bathed him and set up a vet appointment. Her TikTok about the experience has more than 5 million views and upwards of 900,000 comments.
Buddy’s journey with the couple hasn’t been easy, as he had ongoing medical issues that went untreated.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“During his first vet visit, they discovered he had urine in his blood from an untreated UTI. He was not neutered. He tested positive for Lyme disease. Because he spent years gnawing on a heavy metal chain, it was almost impossible to determine his true age from his teeth being almost completely grinned down,” Murphy shares.
Murphy says that the couple named him Buddy, and he is settled with his new family. He spends his time inside the house enjoying his toys and the love from his new family.
“After a year of medicine, treatments, soft foods, toys and lots of love and care, Buddy is doing amazing,” Murphy says. “He loves to go on walks and also enjoys cuddling. Lamb Chop is one of his favorite stuffies! It’s truly the happiest ending.”
Although it was hard, Murphy shares advice for those who might find themselves in a similar situation and are looking to do the right thing.
“I highly encourage you to be brave and ask for surrender when you see something like this and know it’s been going on for a while. I advise not going alone and alerting animal control on what is going on for everyone’s safety,” says Murphy. “I do not condone theft, but I will never condone the mistreatment of an animal. It’s important to me to be a voice for the voiceless and an advocate for second chances. Buddy deserved better, and I’m glad I could help bring him that.”
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
