In many parts of the world, guard dogs are a familiar sight. Their role is to protect property, and it’s not unusual for them to appear intimidating to strangers—that’s often the point. But anyone who encountered a guard dog named Cala in San Jose, Costa Rica, didn’t feel fear. Instead, they were struck by sorrow, pity, and outrage.

Cala was assigned to guard a car dealership. Yet her role was more symbolic than effective—she was in no condition to defend anything. Her owner scarcely fed her and completely ignored her health. When she became sick, there were no vet visits, no concern, and no care. Over time, Cala grew weaker and weaker, eventually losing the strength even to stand. All she could do was lie within an old, discarded tire, tethered to a short chain. The chain was so tight that she couldn’t rest her head. It bit into her neck, digging deeper with every passing day.

Her head literally dangled from the chain, her body collapsing under exhaustion and malnutrition. Her condition worsened to the point where breathing became a struggle. She was enduring unimaginable pain and suffering, fading slowly and silently. With no one to intervene, she was on the brink of death.

Luckily, fate stepped in. A concerned neighbor saw how desperate Cala’s situation was and reached out to the local police. The officers, appalled by what they found, contacted an animal rescue organization known as Territorio de Zaguates. This local shelter, renowned for its compassion and commitment, agreed to step in and help. But even they knew this would be a difficult case.

When Lya Battle, founder of Territorio de Zaguates, first saw Cala, the sight broke her heart. In her words to The Dodo, “I felt desperately sad and frustrated. The picture I first saw of her showed a pitiful creature robbed of its dignity and ready to give up—a dog whose spirit had been broken and was just waiting for the end to come while living a never-ending nightmare.”

The rescue team, together with the police, managed to remove Cala from the only life she had ever known—a life of misery and neglect—and bring her to a veterinary clinic. There, the severity of her condition became even clearer. Deep wounds encircled her neck where the chain had carved into her skin. She was severely underweight, riddled with infection, and traumatized to the core.

After receiving emergency treatment at the vet’s, Cala was transferred to the Territorio de Zaguates shelter. It was here that her long journey to physical and emotional healing would begin. It wasn’t just her body that needed care—her spirit had been crushed.

At first, the shelter staff worried that Cala might never be able to interact with other dogs. She seemed fearful and defensive, almost aggressive. It was as though she didn’t understand what it meant to coexist with her own kind. Some of the staff even speculated that she had been trained to be violent toward other animals or had never had any social interaction before.

But slowly, something began to shift. Cala started to open up. Bit by bit, she allowed the other dogs to come closer. She learned how to be part of a group. She went from being a shell of a dog—sick, withdrawn, and traumatized—to one with life in her eyes and strength in her body.

“With every day that passed, we saw more of her personality come through,” Battle said. “She went from fearing humans to trusting them, and even ‘bugging’ them for attention.” This was a completely different Cala. She was no longer the broken soul who sat silently in a tire, waiting to die. She was growing into the dog she was always meant to be—curious, affectionate, and full of life.

Just when things were finally looking up for Cala, tragedy struck again. In June, the shelter was targeted by intruders who maliciously placed poisoned sausages around the premises. Sixteen dogs died that night. Cala, too, consumed one of the sausages, but against all odds, she survived—likely due to her size and the relatively small amount she ate.

Though she made it through, the event took a toll. She suffered neurological side effects and showed signs of trauma. But once more, Cala proved that she was a survivor. Slowly, she regained her balance, both physically and emotionally. She is nothing short of a warrior.

Throughout her life, Cala has endured years of starvation, physical abuse, illness, and emotional abandonment. She was so close to death when she was finally rescued, yet she managed to claw her way back to life. Her story is a testament to the resilience of the soul and the power of compassion.

Today, Cala lives with a foster family who provides her with the love, attention, and safety she never had before. She has warm beds, full meals, and people who genuinely care. Her days are now filled with belly rubs, naps in the sun, and the company of other dogs who, like her, have come from darkness into light.

As for Lya Battle, the founder of Territorio de Zaguates, she has rescued countless animals over the years. Still, Cala’s story remains one of the most powerful and emotional journeys she’s ever been a part of. Cala is more than just a survivor—she is a symbol of hope for every animal suffering in silence, waiting for a second chance.

Her journey from despair to joy shows what can happen when someone chooses to care, when a neighbor decides to speak up, and when a group of determined people refuse to give up. Cala may have once been a forgotten guard dog in a broken world, but now, she’s a cherished soul living the life she always deserved.