In September 2023, Shana Breeden first learned about a sickly dog wandering near a convenience store in Houston, Texas. The dog, later named Amethyst, was nearly hairless and appeared to be in poor health. Concerned, Breeden, an independent animal rescuer, tried to catch her using a humane trap she kept in her car. “She was approaching people, searching for food,” Breeden shared with The Dodo. “Her condition was terrible; her skin was extremely rough.”
Despite spending over an hour trying to capture Amethyst, the elusive pup continued to evade Breeden’s efforts. Breeden returned home for the night but remained determined to find the dog. For months, she adjusted her daily route to pass by the area where Amethyst was last seen, desperate to locate the missing canine. “I hate leaving any dog on the streets,” Breeden lamented. “Once I see a dog, it’s hard to get them out of my mind.”
Breeden turned to social media, sharing posts about Amethyst on platforms like Facebook and Nextdoor, and enlisted the help of volunteers to search the neighborhood. Despite numerous sightings reported by locals, Amethyst always managed to stay out of reach, leading Breeden to worry that the dog might have passed away.
In March, five months after first seeing Amethyst, Breeden received a promising lead from a man who had seen her post on Nextdoor. “He told me, ‘I know where she sleeps,'” Breeden recalled. With renewed hope, she eagerly exchanged contact information with him.
The man informed her that Amethyst was living in an abandoned apartment complex in a dangerous part of the city. Armed with this knowledge, Breeden headed there without delay. Finding Amethyst alive was a relief, but the dog’s condition had deteriorated further—her fur was gone, and her eyes were swollen and infected. Breeden tried again to trap her, but Amethyst continued to evade.
Realizing she needed more help, Breeden contacted professional trappers. However, Amethyst disappeared once more, and her whereabouts remained unknown. Her story, however, spread on Facebook and eventually reached Heather Lowery, another independent dog rescuer in Houston. “Her story tugged at my heartstrings,” Lowery said. “I immediately decided to foster her.”
In July, Lowery, her fiancé, and several volunteers—all connected through Facebook—set out to find Amethyst. Luck was on their side this time. “Within just 15 minutes, we spotted her,” Lowery recalled. The group was prepared to have someone dart her for a quicker capture but chose to try their luck themselves. With perseverance and a touch of luck, they managed to catch Amethyst after nearly five hours.
Once Amethyst recovered enough at the clinic, she went home with Lowery. During the first month, Amethyst kept her tail tightly tucked under her belly, a testament to her fear. Slowly but surely, she started to come out of her shell. “One day, she finally wagged her tail,” Lowery exclaimed, caught up in the excitement of the moment.
As Amethyst healed, her fur began to grow back, starting with a small white tuft on her head before spreading as orange fur over her body. “She’s not fully healed yet,” Lowery noted. “The vet thinks her fur might remain patchy, but that’s okay—we love her as she is.”
After months of evading rescue, Amethyst now revels in the attention and affection she receives from people, particularly forming a close bond with Lowery. “She’s incredibly sweet,” Lowery said. “A true angel, grateful for everything.”
Reflecting on the journey, Breeden expressed her happiness with the outcome. “Heather has done a fantastic job with Amethyst,” she commented. “Amethyst looks so different and is now a beloved family member with Heather and her dogs. I visited her a few weeks after she was captured and could see how happy she is.”
Breeden’s persistence and Lowery’s commitment have given Amethyst a new lease on life, turning a heart-wrenching start into a story of hope and recovery.
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