Alone in a kennel at a small, underfunded shelter in South Carolina, a sweet dog named Goldie stared at the cinderblock walls, hoping for a miracle. For days, Goldie had waited for someone to notice her and take her home. She didn’t have much more time. The overcrowded shelter planned to schedule her for euthanasia if things didn’t change.

“[S]he has been staring at the cold walls of her kennel, withdrawn into herself, too terrified to look at anyone,” Hounds In Pounds, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping dogs in need, wrote in a Facebook post about Goldie.

When a South Carolina shelter volunteer saw Goldie trembling in her kennel, she knew she had to do something. The volunteer emailed Hounds In Pounds with pictures and videos of Goldie, asking if they might be able to save her life.

“When we saw the video of her staring at the wall, shaking, we knew we had to get her help,” a representative from Hounds In Pounds told The Dodo.

Hounds In Pounds used their network of rescuers to connect the volunteer with a local veterinarian. The vet agreed to house Goldie for the time being and help her adjust. Meanwhile, Hounds In Pounds posted a fundraiser for Goldie’s care, encouraging animal-lovers to support Goldie and other needy South Carolina shelter pups. Soon, Goldie had a new bed and plenty of resources to help her heal.

These days, Goldie is still with the veterinarian, slowly learning how to love again.

“She gets better each day,” the representative said. “She is still shut down but starting to trust. She had her first session with a trainer who got her up and moving with ease, and today she was walking around the clinic with no convincing!”

Eventually, Goldie will move to a foster home in New Jersey, where she’ll begin the search for a permanent family. No matter what, it’s clear that Goldie’s happy future is secured.

“She has relaxed more,” the representative said. “She knows she is safe now.”