In the winter of 2018, Donna Lochmann and her team of rescuers witnessed a scene they would never forget. As Chief Life Saving Officer with Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL), Lochmann was driving through a snowstorm, searching for animals in need, when her mission suddenly changed.

From her Jeep, Lochmann saw a white van with what appeared to be a gray mound resting underneath it. As the pile shifted slightly, she knew it was an animal. But it was difficult to tell who he was.

“His hair was so long, you could barely tell which side was his face,” Lochmann shared with The Dodo. “You could kind of see his nose.”

A Heartbreaking Discovery

Upon closer inspection, Lochmann realized the furry heap was a dog in terrible condition. His mats were so heavy that they pulled at his skin, and he was soaked from the snowstorm, his fur frozen to the concrete.

“His mats were frozen to the ground,” SRSL wrote on Facebook.

Without hesitation, Lochmann crawled under the van, slipped a leash around the dog’s neck, and began comforting him as she pulled him out.

“He screamed…” SRSL wrote. “But with skill and patience, Donna got him safely into the warm Jeep.”

Lochmann wrapped the weakened pup in a towel and rushed him to SRSL’s animal hospital.

A Long Process of Healing

Upon arrival, the veterinary team hurried to examine him, but they couldn’t fully assess him due to the mats covering his body.

“We had to get the hair off of him,” Lochmann explained. “It’s a real process when it’s that knotted up, trying to get it off.”

The team carefully worked through his fur, using clippers to remove the mats. Soon, his icicle-covered, leaf-strewn fur fell away, revealing a small, smooth gray pup. He was later named Pilgrim.

“He had to feel so much better getting all that hair off of him,” Lochmann said. “It might’ve been about six pounds of hair.”

During the shaving process, the vets discovered an injury to his back legs, which X-rays confirmed to be a broken pelvis. This resilient dog was clearly a survivor, and SRSL vowed to do everything it could to help him heal.

Pilgrim underwent surgery for his fractures and made a full recovery within three weeks. With his injuries healed and his fur gone, he was ready to begin his next chapter in foster care.

Finding His Forever Home

A loving couple, Taylor and Joe, took Pilgrim into their home as a foster dog. He quickly thrived in their care, forming a deep bond with his new parents and furry siblings.

It wasn’t long before Taylor and Joe decided they couldn’t let him go.

“Pilgrim fits in so perfectly with our family, so we decided to foster fail,” the couple shared with SRSL in a letter, later posted on Facebook. “He’s a very happy boy.”

It’s been over four years since Lochmann discovered Pilgrim—now named Oscar—frozen to the ground during that snowstorm. While his rescue was heart-wrenching, SRSL is overjoyed to see how much their efforts have changed his life.

“He’s living [a] good, comfortable life and brings joy to his family every single day,” SRSL wrote in a recent update on Facebook. “[We] love this!”