Speeding down a quiet Kentucky road, a driver caught sight of something that made them slam the brakes. At first, it looked like a pile of leaves or debris by the tree line. But as they drew closer, they realized it was alive—a tiny brown and white puppy, tethered to a broken tree, sitting with heartbreaking patience on the edge of the pavement.
She didn’t whimper. She didn’t try to run. She simply waited.
The driver quickly contacted the local shelter, and within minutes, a rescue team rushed to the scene. What they found left them shaken.
“She was just so stoic sitting there by the tree, waiting for someone to notice her,” recalled Kim Desroches of Friends of Lewis County Animals. “So thankful that the shelter found her and took her in. She was found not far from the shelter, actually.”
The puppy—later named Ladybird—was so small, so fragile, it was hard to believe someone had left her alone in such a cruel way. At only six or seven weeks old, her entire future balanced on whether or not someone saw her in time.
But fate had intervened.
From Lonely Roadside to Loving Arms
Ladybird’s first stop was the public shelter, a place that—while safe—was far from ideal for a puppy her age. The risk of illness loomed, and she needed more than just a kennel. She needed warmth, attention, and someone to show her that the world could be kind.
That’s where Kim stepped in.
“As soon as I saw her post, I started asking if any of my volunteers could foster her,” she said. “A shelter is not really an ideal place for a puppy due to any number of illnesses they can catch. One of the girls stepped up and took her out.”
In her foster home, Ladybird began to bloom. At first, she was cautious, unsure if she was truly safe. But once she realized she was loved, her puppy spirit burst through. She wagged her tail, tumbled across the floor, and played with the boundless joy only a puppy can bring.
“She was a little scared and unsure when picked up by the shelter,” Kim explained. “Once she settled in, she was very much a happy, playful puppy.”
A Brighter Future
Ladybird’s journey didn’t stop there. Thanks to the partnership between Friends of Lewis County Animals and the Licking County Humane Society, she was given another step toward her forever home.
For now, she’s safe, healthy, and adored by everyone who meets her. Soon, she’ll have the chance to find the family she was meant to belong to all along—a home where no one will ever tie her to a tree and leave her behind.
And while no one knows how Ladybird ended up on that roadside, one thing is certain: her story is no longer about abandonment. It’s about resilience, compassion, and second chances.
She waited by the road, hoping someone would see her.
And now, the whole world does.
