The internet has been left in tears after a woman rescued a malnourished dog that was starving to death.
Aria Keilbach, who co-founded Boonie Babies, a rescue and rehabilitation facility in the U.S. territory of Saipan, was horrified when she saw the skeletal dog “chained to a tree” outside a home. She told Newsweek that sights like this are “sadly not uncommon,” and she needed to act to give the pup a chance at survival.
Keilbach reported the problem to a local dog control program, and the owners surrendered the dog to a shelter. A few days later, Keilbach went to the shelter to give treats to dogs on the euthanasia list, as she does most weeks. While there, she spotted the dog she had rescued.
Keilbach, who had already saved his life once, was heartbroken at the thought of him being put down at the shelter, so she took him to her rescue instead.
Screenshots of a TikTok video showing Zero the rescue dog, who was found chained to a tree before being rescued by Boonie Babies in Saipan. Zero was surrendered to a local animal shelter before Aria Keilbach took him back to her rescue.
@booniebabies / TikTok
“I’ve named this skeleton dog Zero, and although it’s only been about a week since taking him in, he’s doing well and is remarkably sweet despite the cruelty he’s faced,” Keilbach told Newsweek via Instagram. “I hope to get him healthy and fly him to a home in the mainland U.S.”
Keilbach, who moved to Saipan in 2018 after growing up in Colorado, wasn’t sure how Zero would behave around her after enduring so much cruelty. However, she was surprised to see that he immediately warmed to her and showed just how sweet and friendly he truly is.
Saipan has a large population of strays and free-roaming dogs, with researchers from Northern Arizona University estimating in 2018 that the island had more than 21,300 of such dogs. Their research found that most dogs were sentry adults, and their population size increased in correlation with urbanization. Much of the public reportedly view the dogs as a health concern, according to the findings.
“Unfortunately, Saipan has thousands of strays and poorly taken care of dogs. There is only one animal cruelty law enacted just a few years ago and still goes mostly unenforced,” Keilbach said.
How Did Social Media React?
Zero’s rescue story was shared in a video on the @BoonieBabies TikTok account. It showed him in a front yard with a chain around his neck before being saved. The footage also showed the moment he got the “first of many reliable meals” to help him gain some much-needed weight.
The clip, which has gone viral, adds that he is “so grateful” for this second chance at life, and it’s left social media users fighting back tears. The post has already amassed more than 980,000 views and 179,000 likes on TikTok.
Of course, Zero’s journey to recovery is only just beginning, and he has a long road ahead of him. Keilbach has also asked for help to cover some of his medical costs—including treatment for ehrlichia and anaplasmosis, infections caused by ticks.
When he’s healthy and able, Zero is expected to be flown to the U.S., where he will hopefully find a loving forever home. In the meantime, Keilbach continues to keep social media users up to date on his journey by posting follow-up videos on TikTok.
After the video of Zero’s rescue went viral, it amassed more than 5,800 comments on TikTok in a matter of days.
One commenter said: “Why!? I don’t understand why people do this. It breaks my heart to see this.”
“Thank you for saving him! He seems sooo sweet,” another wrote. “He deserves a loving family.”
“The way he was still so friendly after being wronged by his owner,” a user added.
Another said, “The fact you can see its ribcage is actually heartbreaking.”
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