After enduring bone-breaking beatings at the hands of an abusive owner and having her death faked, a dog traveled thousands of miles for refuge.

Lucy, a purebred pit bull, is now looking for a forever home in the U.S.

Her heart-wrenching journey began in Egypt last October. She was malnourished and covered with infections. Her owner had beaten her so badly he broke her jaw, which also suffered infection.

Employees at a local animal shelter wanted to rescue Lucy from her abusive owner. There was one problem, however. The dog’s owner was their landlord and they shared property together. He owned the space the shelter was renting and he refused to give her up.

Rescue Mission

The workers were determined to save Lucy even if it meant risking the very existence of the animal shelter. So they called Special Needs Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation. This U.S.-based organization works with animal shelters around the world.

Together, they devised a plan. Members of the Egyptian animal shelter waited until the owner left the property before they recovered Lucy.

“The shelter had to be very careful when getting the dog [off the property],” Lauren Connelly, STARR’s foster coordinator, told The Huffington Post. “If they made the man mad, then the shelter couldn’t exist” — which would put all the animals under their care at risk.

After securing the pup, they handed her over to a volunteer traveler who took Lucy to New York City. Afterward, Lucy was taken to one of SNARR’s Philadelphia-based coordinators.

Connelly finally met the pup and named her Lucy.

The dog was devastated. She was afraid even to leave her crate.

“The smell of [Lucy’s] infection would turn your stomach, it was awful,” Connelly told HuffPost. “Her jaw was so painful, she couldn’t eat. We had to make dog food soup so she can lick it up with her tongue.”

Veterinarians later concluded Lucy’s jaw had been broken in two places likely due to blunt force trauma. Vets said the dog may have been “either kicked or hit with something strong like a brick,” according to Connelly.

Recovery

Lucy underwent reconstructive jaw surgery and months of therapy and antibiotics. She now acts like a normal, fun-loving doggy. SNARR worker’s nicknamed her “Licky Lou,” because she loves to cuddle and lick people once she opens up to them.

She is now living with a foster family in Pittsburgh. The family has three kids and Lucy loves interacting with people.

Due to her traumatic experience with her owner, however, it’s not surprising she is initially afraid of men.

“Something to be aware of is that she is timid, especially around adult males (being abused by a man, this is not surprising),” SNARR workers wrote on a Facebook post last week. “She does not become aggressive, but withdraws acting timid, shy, and hiding.”

Once Lucy warms up to you, however, Connelly says the one-year-old pooch is the “friendliest dog you’ll ever meet.”

According to Connelly, Lucy’s former owner never asked about her. SNARR will transport Lucy to any approved family in the U.S.

For more information, visit snarranimalrescue.org

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