Curled up into a tight ball, an abandoned brown puppy named Pixie rested in a patch of dirt, barely shaded by a few ferns. Pixie was tied to a pole and couldn’t move very far. With no access to food or water, Pixie grew skinny, and her ribs poked out from her gaunt frame.

Finally, just when all hope seemed lost, Pixie looked up and saw her hero.

“[An] animal control officer found her in a remote area — middle of nowhere,” Emily Brizzee told The Dodo.

Brizzee is half of the husband and wife duo who run Brizzee Animal Rescue, an advocacy group supporting needful pets in Haslet, Texas. When she heard about Pixie, Brizzee knew she had to help. Soon, the pup was safe in Brizzee’s care.

Meeting Pixie, Brizzee couldn’t help but feel crushed.

“Pixie was in terrible condition, it was beyond heartbreaking,” Brizzee said. “But she had fight in her eyes, and we knew she’d pull through.”

At first, Pixie was wary of her rescuers. But as time went by, the anxious dog learned she didn’t need to worry anymore.

“She began to trust us and open up,” Brizzee said. “She has become very attached to our 8-year-old son and sleeps with him at night.”

Pixie remains with her rescuers, comfortably gaining strength and confidence. Once she’s feeling up to it, Pixie will start searching for a new, permanent family. Until then, she’s happy right where she is.

“She gives us kisses and tail wags every morning and is extremely food motivated, yet not food aggressive, and very gentle,” Brizzee said. “She’s a sweet little puppy and learning to play and feel safe more and more each day.”