Squad Foster Leah
Meet Leah
We asked Leah’s foster mom to share what Leah’s personality is like now that she’s finally stepping out of her wounded shell… and her words say it all:
“She is verrryy playful and bouncy and loves being part of the pack—running down the hall for meals, excited to go outside. She’s also a great cuddler once she gets her zoomies out. She enjoys lounging on the couch or being pampered (obvs). She’s curious, always watching everything, though she can still get startled by new things. She’s learning her leash skills and still figuring out what’s okay to chew—and what’s not, haha.”
Leah is all puppy at 11 weeks old—equal parts silly, curious, and sweet. She’s healing beautifully from her injuries, and now her personality is shining through brighter every day.
She’ll meet with Riverside Vet on Friday, 10/10 for her booster vaccines, and soon she’ll officially be ready for adoption!
If you’re looking for a bouncy, playful pup who also knows how to snuggle in when the day is done, Leah may just be your girl.
Adopt Leah
You can begin the adoption process today by submitting an adoption application using the button below.
September 10, 2025
Healing Update
It’s hard to believe it’s only been 18 days since Leah was found alone, her tiny body covered in burns that stretched down her back.
In just 2.5 weeks, this little fighter has endured so much—sloughing skin, painful bandage changes, and the slow, steady process of healing.
Leah wouldn’t be here today without her foster mom, Bekki. From the moment they met at VEG ER for Pets, Bekki has been her constant—changing her bandages every single day, watching her around the clock, and giving her the kind of care that goes far beyond medical treatment. It’s love.
And it’s working. Leah’s cough is gone. Her bloodwork looks better than ever. She’s finally strong enough to begin her puppy vaccines. And the best part? She’s almost done with those daily bandage changes—something we didn’t think would come this soon.
As we get ready to celebrate this milestone, we’re asking for a little help. Once Leah is out of her bandages, she’ll need soft T-shirts to protect her fragile skin while she continues to heal. We’ve added some to our Amazon Wishlist. Donations toward her vet bills are also such a huge help as we keep showing up for her.
August 31, 2025
Why Leah’s Burn Looks Worse Before It Gets Better
If you’ve been following Leah’s journey, you may have noticed that her burn looks different after Friday’s bandage change—and it might seem like it’s getting worse. We want to explain why what you’re seeing is actually a normal part of healing.
Last week, Leah went through a process called sloughing, where dead or damaged skin naturally separates from the healthy tissue underneath. When the old skin is removed during a bandage change, it often reveals tissue that looks raw, bright pink, and even larger than before. That’s because we’re now seeing the true wound bed for the first time rather than the layers of dead tissue that were covering it.
The bright pink areas are healthy granulation tissue—this is brand-new tissue that’s forming as part of the healing process. And the light pink border you see? That’s the skin that is already farther along in healing, slowly working to close the wound from the outside in.
Burn wounds heal in layers, and the early stages often look alarming before things start to improve. Even though it might look worse to the eye right now, what we’re seeing with Leah is actually forward progress—her body is doing exactly what it needs to do to repair itself.
Donate Today
If you fell compelled to give to Leah, please make a tax-deductible donation. Leave a note with your gift, and we’ll write it on her Wall of Hope at @thek9shop_sc (Instagram and Facebook) so Leah can be surrounded by love when the world has already shown her so much cruelty.
August 27, 2025
Leah Update
We know the images of Leah’s burns are hard to see. But underneath those bandages, there is healing happening. Thanks to the manuka honey and the daily bandage changes at VEG, her skin is slowly repairing itself. At night, she gets to curl up in the comfort of her foster mom’s home, safe and warm. And when her foster mom heads to work at VEG, Leah tags along—so she can get monitoring and extra love throughout the day.
This little girl is a fighter.
Our friends at The K9 Shop are stepping up once again with a Wall of Hope fundraiser for Leah. Here’s how it works:
When you donate—whether it’s $5 or $500—leave a brief note for Leah. We will handwrite each message and add it to Leah’s Wall of Hope at The K9 Shop.
They did this for Bernie last year, and the wall quickly filled with words of love from near and far. It was a powerful reminder of how many people care.
You can leave your message in the comments section of your donation, or send via direct Instagram message to @thek9shop_sc . If you include where you’re donating from, we’ll write that too—we love seeing support pour in from all over.
Let’s cover this wall in love and encouragement for Leah as she heals.
Donate to Leah’s Wall of Hope
Leah’s Wall of Hope
August 25, 2025
How It Started
We will never know what happened to this baby. We will never know if the horrific burns covering her tiny body were caused by cruelty or accident… or how long she laid there before the maggots came. We will never know the pain, the fear, the hunger she endured all alone in this big, scary world.
But here’s what we do know:
Leah is safe now.
At just 6–8 weeks old, this baby was taken to VEG yesterday (8/24), where emergency vet tech Bekki instantly fell in love with her. Bekki didn’t hesitate to open her home and her heart, vowing to foster Leah through every step of her healing journey. Leah will even go to work with Bekki each day for her daily bandage changes, surrounded by people who will love her like she deserves.
Leah is battling more than her burns. She has a heavy load of hookworms, and we’re praying her skin heals well enough to avoid painful surgical debridement later. Once she’s strong enough, we’ll begin her vaccines and give her the puppyhood she’s been robbed of so far.
Donate to Leah
How It Started