This week, members of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston were conducting random inspections of cargo at a port in Texas when they realized that one of the shipping containers held something it shouldn’t.
From within the metal enclosure, they heard the sound of scratching and barking.
Someone was trapped inside.
The inspection crew removed the shipping container from its stack in order to access it. And sure enough:
“When they lowered the container and opened the door, a dog popped out!” the U.S. Coast Guard Heartland wrote.
It’s unclear exactly how the dog came to be trapped inside the container, but officials say that she’d been stuck there for at least a week. No doubt, it had been a harrowing ordeal.
“[She] was tired, hungry and very happy to see her rescuers,” the Coast Guard said.
They named her Connie the Container Dog.
After giving the dog some much-needed food and water, her rescuers then transported her to a local animal shelter.
Despite all that she had been through, Connie’s spirits were still high.
“We are so proud of our team of marine inspectors who were in the right place at the right time, then trusted their instincts and saved a dog’s life!” the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston wrote.
Connie has since been placed under the care of Forever Changed Animal Rescue, who say she is heartworm positive. Treatment for that will be soon underway — after which she’ll be made available for adoption into a loving home.
“We will also be doing a full workup on her to ensure that she receives all the care she needs and deserves,” Forever Changed Animal Rescue wrote. “We can’t thank all of the amazing people involved in this rescue [enough for] saving Connie’s life.”