The 14-year-old black Lab mix with a gray face sat in a cage at Dallas Animal Services, puzzled.
Her kennel card provided some details about her tragic history. According to the report, her previous owner turned her off at the shelter just after Thanksgiving and requested that she be killed.
The poor dog was quite skinny and had difficulty walking. She barely had two teeth and tested positive for heartworm.
After hearing about the puppy, rescuers and animal lovers began posting about her on social media.
And Tommy Bull of Crowley, Texas, was taken aback when he learned about the dog.
"When I looked into her eyes, she looked like she'd given up," Bull told The Dodo. "She was a black dog, a senior, and heartworm infected; she didn't stand a chance." The holidays are one of the worst times of year for dogs; many people surrender them to shelters."
Bull called CAMO Rescue, who arranged for him to get the dog from the shelter. "She was a bit shaky, so the workers took her out to me," he explained. "I grabbed her and embraced her tight. I wanted her to feel secure. "I fell in love with her right away."
He carried her to his car and transported her home, where Bull's wife immediately connected with her. Ettie is an abbreviation for Henrietta. "We gave her plenty of care and introduced her to our other rescue dogs, and she was OK," Bull added.
In the Bulls' house, the senior girl blossomed. She gained weight after being provided healthy canned food that was easy for her to eat. Ettie also began arthritic medicine and heartworm therapy.