WARNING
This page contains graphic images of a devastating injury to one of our dogs.
The Day That Changed Everything
On December 14th, 2020, six beautiful Boxer/Heeler mix puppies were scheduled to leave a hard life in Oklahoma behind and head to Colorado—three of them coming to us at Pawsitive Restorations Animal Rescue, and three to another local rescue. They were supposed to have bright futures.
But just a few days before transport, we got a phone call that made our blood run cold.
The owner who was surrendering them had dropped two puppies off at a vet and signed over ownership. Not out of compassion. Not out of concern. He just didn’t want to pay the bill.
When the veterinary team described the injuries, we were horrified. But then the photos came in.
And we were gutted.
Gracie and her brother—just three months old—had been nearly sliced in half.
Raw, infected, gaping wounds around their tiny torsos. The kind of damage you can’t unsee. The kind of cruelty you can’t explain.
The story? “They got caught in their harnesses.”
But the wounds were several days old, the vet said. Skin was already granulating. That means these babies suffered like this for DAYS. Two puppies. Matching injuries. Matching agony.
What really happened? We’ll never know. We filed a report. But no charges were filed. No one was held accountable.
And so, as we’ve done too many times before—we focused on saving them.
Rebuilding Gracie
Her foster mom became her everything. Gracie was loved. She was held. She was safe. Bit by bit, we saw her light flicker back on.
She was healing. Learning how to play. How to just be a puppy.
Her strength was inspiring. Her capacity for love—after what she’d endured—was humbling. She was silly and smart and affectionate and so proud of herself when she got things right.
She was becoming whole.
A Crushing Blow
In February 2021, Gracie was adopted by a family who promised they’d cherish her. They said all the right things. They knew the needs of the breed, they understood the intelligence and energy level, and most importantly, they knew her history, how hard she fought to survive, and how special she was to us.
But six months later, they called us.
“She’s the worst dog ever,” they said. “She’s destructive. Disobedient.”
They admitted they’d been keeping her in a kennel in the garage, day and night. She was too much for them. They were done. Did they know that they were traumatizing her and that THEY were the direct cause of her current behaviors?
When Gracie was returned to us, the woman screamed at her for getting in the wrong seat of the car.
Gracie cowered.
She was thin. Her muscles had atrophied. Her spirit was shattered.
We. Were. Devastated.
We had failed her. We gave her to people who did not deserve her. And now, we had to start all over.
The Rise
We placed Gracie back with her original foster mom, who had also adopted Gracie’s sister. We hoped being in a familiar home with her sister might ease the fear and help Gracie to find her confidence again.
And then came Kim.
Kim is a dog lover, an agility trainer, and the aunt of Gracie’s foster mom. She saw Gracie—really saw her. The pain. The fear. But also… the flicker of fight still hiding in her eyes.
Kim decided to adopt our Gracie.
She gave Gracie what she needed most: time, patience, purpose, and unconditional love. For six months, Gracie wouldn’t even go into the garage. This is where her previous owners had vanquished her to all day and night. Trauma like that doesn’t vanish overnight. But Kim didn’t push. She gently, steadily worked with Gracie’s instincts, not against them.
Working WITH Gracie’s breed traits instead of against them, they started agility training.
And holy wow, did Gracie SHINE!
Gracie found her wings.
She wasn’t just fast—she was fierce. She wasn’t just learning—she was winning.
She was no longer the broken puppy discarded by the world. She was a champion.
Gracie Today
Gracie still bears the scars of her horrific injury, but she has defied the odds! She lives with her doting mama on a beautiful property in Parker, Colorado. She sleeps in a bed next to her mama, snuggled in soft blankets. She plays, trains, and competes.
She is happy. She is healthy. She is LOVED.
On July 31st, 2025, Gracie and Kim competed in the Latigo Trials in Elbert, Colorado—and they didn’t just show up. They dominated.
Gracie took the High Point for a Rescue Dog ANNNND the High Point Overall Champion!
This little girl who nearly lost her life and was failed so miserably… is now one of the best in the ring.
She’s not just surviving. She’s not just thriving.
She’s flipping the script on every soul who ever gave up on her.
And we? We are crying happy tears and cheering her on from the front row.
The Moral of This Story?
Don’t give up. Not on the shy ones. Not on the scared ones. Not on the broken ones.
Because those are the ones who will love you with every molecule of their being. Those are the ones who will rise from the ashes and become extraordinary.
They just need someone who believes in them.
Gracie needed that. And now, she IS that.
A believer. A fighter. A freaking legend.
Why We Do This
Dogs like Gracie are why Pawsitive Restorations Animal Rescue exists.
We take in the broken, battered, and betrayed. And with a whole lot of heart, hustle, and hope, we help them rise.
But we can’t do it alone.
Every rescue, every rehab, every redemption story like Gracie’s is powered by people like you.
