In 2018, a truly heartbreaking scene unfolded on a sidewalk in Philadelphia when a young dog, later named Suzi, was discovered lying limp and motionless outside a home reportedly connected to drug activity. The sight shocked the community. She was barely conscious, her body still, and her eyes dull. Nobody knew what had happened to her until bystanders informed animal control officers that neighborhood kids might have injected the helpless pup with drugs.
As horrifying as that sounded, the reality was even worse—lab tests confirmed that Suzi had both cocaine and THC in her system. She had been deliberately drugged. The gravity of the situation prompted animal control to rush her to Faithful Friends Animal Society in Delaware, where a team of compassionate veterinarians immediately sprang into action. According to Kevin Rentz, the shelter’s marketing manager, Suzi arrived in critical condition. She couldn’t walk, stand, eat, or even drink on her own. The staff had never dealt with a case involving such direct and cruel exposure to narcotics in a dog before, and their hearts broke at the sight of her.
Over the next two days, Suzi was kept on a steady stream of IV fluids as the medical team worked tirelessly to rid her body of the harmful substances. Vets monitored her around the clock, doing everything in their power to comfort her and stabilize her condition. Rentz described how Suzi could barely lift her head and seemed completely unaware of her surroundings, a heartbreaking reflection of the trauma she had endured. Despite the severity of her condition, hope remained, and eventually, that hope turned into progress.
As the drugs slowly left her system, Suzi began to stir and respond. The once lifeless dog began to show signs of personality—gentle, sweet, and affectionate. She captured the hearts of everyone at the clinic. Rentz recalled how she quickly became a staff favorite. Her eyes lit up, her tail started wagging, and before long, she was walking, then running, and joyfully chasing toys as if experiencing happiness for the first time. One toy in particular—a little ball—became her prized possession, and she refused to be without it. Her story, full of pain but also resilience, made the local news in Delaware and caught the attention of the Alicea family.
Rosa Alicea and her mother Aida were devastated to learn what had happened to Suzi and felt compelled to meet her. They rushed to the shelter, and when they saw her for the first time, Suzi was lying quietly in her cage, unbothered by the loud barking around her. She simply looked up at them with calm, trusting eyes. It was a moment Rosa would never forget. During the visit, Suzi curled up next to Rosa’s young son, Jonathan, as if she already knew she belonged with them. That quiet connection sealed their decision. In an amazing twist of fate, Rosa revealed that her family’s dog growing up had also been named Suzi and even had the same coat color.
That strange but beautiful coincidence only made them more certain that this was meant to be. And as if destiny needed one final stamp of approval, Suzi’s adoption became official on St. Patrick’s Day, a symbolic day of luck and new beginnings. Today, Suzi lives a peaceful life with her forever family. The only remaining evidence of her traumatic past is a tiny shaved patch on her leg from the IV that helped save her. According to Rosa, Suzi has adjusted beautifully. She’s polite, gentle, and endlessly loving. Suzi’s story is not only one of survival, but also of the healing power of love, the impact of second chances, and the importance of speaking out against cruelty. Her journey reminds us that every animal deserves kindness, protection, and the opportunity to be part of a family that truly cares. Suzi may have once been broken by the worst of humanity, but she was healed by the best of it, and her story is a powerful symbol of hope.
