Thrown from a moving vehicle, he relentlessly pursued his owner until his legs could no longer bear the strain, succumbing to sheer loyalty and exhaustion, collapsing by the roadside.

“Have you ever pondered what happens when a dog’s owners abandon her? She sits and observes. Waiting for her family to return.”

This week, residents in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, noticed a highly frightened collie-like dog lingering at a neighborhood park. She braved the cold weather alone, refusing anyone to touch her.

Concerned for the dog, residents reached out to Janine Guido, the founder of Speranza Animal Rescue, a well-known animal rescue organization in town.

“She remained in the same spot, as though waiting for her family to return. But they never did,” Guido informed The Dodo. Guido relied on the community’s support to locate and rescue the dog. People reported sightings to her, aiding Guido in her quest to find the dog.

It was no easy task, though.

“I managed to hand-feed her on the first and second days I went out,” Guido recounted. “But if I attempted to loop the leash around her, she would back away.”

Guido came close, only for the dog, Carla, to grow frightened and flee into the woods.

Meanwhile, Speranza’s Facebook page spread the word so that people could assist in finding the fearful pup. “Ever wondered what becomes of a dog abandoned by her owners?” Speranza Animal Rescue shared on Facebook. “She sits and observes. Waiting for her family to return.”

“The park was bustling,” Guido remarked. “And with all the people around her, she kept getting startled. Eventually, she fled the woods after being chased by others.”

After two days of searching, there was still no sign of her by Wednesday, leaving many concerned.

Then, early on Thursday morning, a call came in that Carla had been found sleeping under a back porch. Guido wasted no time in heading over.

“I nearly had her, but she spooked again,” Guido explained.

Carla bolted.

No one knew what to expect when Guido began livestreaming on Speranza Animal Rescue’s Facebook page a few hours later.

Guido recounted her struggles in the past several hours as the camera pointed out from the driver’s side of the car, driving along a road.

A few hours later, Guido received another call, stating Carla had been spotted again. The camera then shifted to the passenger seat, where Carla was sitting.

“We’ve got her! I’m ecstatic,” Guido exclaimed in a live video. “Your new life begins now. We love you now that you’re safe.”

Guido shared with The Dodo how she finally gained control of the fearful and shy pup. “I managed to lure her onto a porch,” she explained. “And with two other ladies blocking both exits, she couldn’t escape. I tied her up, and the rest is history.”

Guido discovered Carla was 10 years old, had no microchip, and was 15 to 20 pounds underweight when she took her to the clinic.

“No one knows who she belongs to. There are no reports of missing pets,” Guido said. “Unfortunately, we suspect she was abandoned, which explains why she was found in that same spot.”

Carla was exhausted after spending days outside on her own. Guido remarked, “She could barely keep her eyes open.”

Guido swiftly arranged a foster home for Carla to rest and recuperate in a safe, warm, and calm environment. Carla arrived late Thursday night.

She will be available for adoption once she’s ready.

“She’s so sweet, but she’s so scared,” Guido said. “But once she was in my car, she seemed to understand she was safe.”