On a blisteringly hot Sunday in Costa Rica, Tania Cappulleti set out in the hopes of finding a stray dog with a cream-colored coat and a very timid demeanor that she had been watching for the previous week.

Tania was unable to locate the puppy she had been searching for originally; however, she did find another dog that was in desperate need of being rescued.

Tania stopped her vehicle when she saw a black puppy that seemed to be undernourished and sitting by the side of a sandy road that was located kilometers from any civilization.

Tania shared with BarkPost that her first impressions of this dog were the same as her impressions of every other stray she’s seen.

When I come across a stray, my first reaction is usually, “Oh no, poor baby,” and that is exactly what went through my mind this time as well.

It seems as if she has a tremendous thirst.

I came to a stop without taking a breather.

It was tremendously fortunate for her that we were already on a rescue mission and that I had water and food for the dogs stashed in the back of my vehicle.

As soon as Tania got close enough, the poor puppy collapsed in the middle of the road while howling.

“When she saw our car stopping and me and Blendan getting out, she started to walk toward us and was actually crawling, and when she was in front of us she collapsed and cried and cried and cried with joy, pain, thirst, and hunger,” the narrator said. “When she saw our car stopping, she started to walk toward us and was actually crawling.”

After further investigation, it was found that not only was this abandoned dog infested with fleas and ticks, but she was also very dehydrated and coated in both of those parasites. Her physical state did not prevent her from expressing her thanks to the people who came to her aid.

“She was so kind and lovely that it didn’t take any of us long to fall in love with her!”

Tania and the two other volunteers who were with her, Blendan Thomas and Olivia Mocillo, provided the puppy, whom they called Gaia, with little quantities of food and water. Gaia was given the name by the three of them.

According to what Tania said to BarkPost, the timing of Gaia’s rescue could not have been better. “We placed her into the tiny bit of shade that was available on the side of the road and gave her water,” Tania said. “It looks that rescuing Gaia could not have occurred at a better time.”

She drank to no end, but despite her efforts, she was unable to rise because she was so weak.

It should be brought to your attention that Tania is one of the co-founders of Charlie’s Angels Animal Rescue, which is described as a “organization that gives temporary care and housing for abandoned dogs in severe physical condition or who are victims of cruelty.”

Gaia was sent to a foster parent after being saved by Tania, and the foster parent was the one who first agreed to accept the beige-colored puppy that Tania had been looking for. When Tania arrived at the foster home, accompanied by Gaia, there was some uncertainty on the part of the staff.

“They were a little taken aback since they were expecting us to come up with a Labrador retriever that was cream colored.” We made sure they were willing to take care of the Lab by asking them before we left. When we arrived with Gaia, they responded with questions like, “What? We were under the impression that it was a beige dog? After a moment of silence, I said, “Yeah, but now we discovered her instead.” They said that there was no issue and that they would take her as well.

Gaia was then transported to the veterinarian, where it was decided that, despite the state she was discovered in, she did not need a significant amount of medical attention.

We treated her with flea treatments and removed all of the ticks from her body. When she was finally brought to the veterinarian, she just required vaccinations and deworming. “She is a really fit and well-balanced young lady.
Gaia ended up staying in her foster home for a total of five weeks before her new mom, Johanne Froment, saw her photo posted on the Facebook page of Osa Peninsula Rescue and Adoptions. Osa Peninsula Rescue and Adoptions is a group in Costa Rica that helps animals get spayed or neutered and find new homes.

Now that she has a new mom, Gaia spends her days going to the beach, playing with her two cat brothers, Tigré and Sacha, and having fun with her new mom. Her favorite activity is going to the beach.

“Going for a stroll on the beach is Gaia’s favorite thing to do in the world.” When she even sees the leash, she immediately begins bouncing and making amusing noises.  She likes the feeling of being held by the water, which lets her stay there for a long time.

“Gaia has a really sweet and kind disposition! She is quite outgoing and is constantly looking for a game to join in on!… She enjoys being petted quite a bit. I believe that she is really content with us at this point.”

You may make a donation on this page to aid Charlie’s Angels in achieving their goal of assisting the stray and abandoned dogs of Costa Rica. You may follow along with the animals that Charlie’s Angels and Osa Peninsula Rescue and Adoptions help and rescue by “liking” their respective Facebook profiles. Charlie’s Angels and Osa Peninsula Rescue and Adoptions both have Facebook pages.

Johanne Froment, Gaia’s new mother, was the original source for the previous two photographs.