From Chained and Broken to Loved and Thriving: Ziva’s Journey to Becoming Roxy

When Barbara Zuluaga saw a heartbreaking photo of a small dog with patchy, crusted skin and hollow eyes, she could barely tell what kind of breed the puppy was. Covered in mange, malnourished, and clearly neglected, the dog looked nothing like the Staffordshire terrier mix she turned out to be.

“I thought she might be a Chihuahua,” said Zuluaga, a board member of A Chance to Bloom Dog Rescue in Houston, Texas. “She was so tiny, and the mange made it impossible to recognize her breed. But what stood out to me was the look in her eyes—there was still light in them, despite everything.”

At the time, the puppy—who was named Ziva—was just 8 months old, but her small, weakened frame made her look half that age. She weighed only 12 pounds, far below what would be considered healthy for a dog her breed and age. Ziva had come into the BARC Animal Shelter in April, after she was discovered chained to a tree on a property in Houston.

What rescuers found was devastating: Ziva was not only dangerously underweight, but she also had severe mange, open sores, and foot pads rubbed raw, likely from standing or pacing on rough surfaces for too long. The scars on her body—and on her spirit—were the result of long-term abuse and neglect.

“It’s a really tragic story, and unfortunately, it’s not uncommon in Houston,” Zuluaga shared. “For a dog to reach that level of physical decline, they have to be kept in those conditions for quite some time. Ziva didn’t just fall through the cracks—she was completely abandoned by the people meant to care for her.”

Terrified of people and unable to trust anyone, Ziva would tremble violently when touched. She avoided eye contact, cowering from every approach. Despite her fear, Zuluaga saw hope in her, and she didn’t hesitate to pull her from the shelter and rush her to the vet.

At the veterinary clinic, Ziva was cleaned, treated, and stabilized. And it was there that she met someone who would play a vital role in her healing—Stephanie Williams, one of the vet techs who cared for her during her initial treatment. The connection was immediate.

“It broke my heart to think about her leaving after she began her recovery,” Williams said. “I knew she needed more than just medical care. She needed love, patience, and someone to show her how to live again. That’s when I decided to foster her myself.”

Over the next two months, Ziva lived in Williams’ home. Slowly but surely, she began to transform. Her weight increased steadily, and with proper nutrition and treatment, her coat started to grow back. But the most important change was in her behavior.

“She learned how to be a dog,” Williams said, smiling. “She figured out how to eat from a dog bowl, drink from a water dish, sleep in a bed, and even jump up on the couch. She began to trust. And even more than that—she started to enjoy life.”

Williams and the rescue team knew Ziva still had hurdles ahead, particularly with her lingering fear of new people and places. While many adoption applications came in—drawn by her adorable, small-statured appearance—Zuluaga was cautious. She wanted to ensure that Ziva would go to someone who understood her emotional needs as well as her physical ones.

Then, a message arrived from Cassie Rogers in Fort Worth, Texas.

“A woman reached out to me after reading Ziva’s story,” Zuluaga recalled. “She told me she felt a deep connection with her and had rehabilitated dogs in the past. After talking with her, we knew—we’d found the right person.”

Just this past weekend, Ziva made the journey to her forever home in Fort Worth, and with it came a fresh start—including a new name: Roxy.

“Roxy is doing fabulously,” Rogers shared. “She follows me everywhere. I’ve become her person—her mom.”

Roxy’s days are now filled with joy. She plays with toys, eagerly waits for mealtime and treats, and loves snuggling on the couch. “She gives me kisses and sleeps in bed with me,” Rogers said. “She just wants to be around the other dogs and run and play. It’s like she knows she’s finally home.”

The transformation from Ziva to Roxy is more than a change of name—it’s a symbol of everything she’s overcome. From being shackled and forgotten to being loved and cherished, Roxy now lives the kind of life every dog deserves. Her journey has become a reminder of the power of rescue, the patience of healing, and the incredible resilience of animals who’ve suffered—but never stopped hoping.

For Zuluaga, Williams, and everyone involved in her rescue, Roxy’s story is one that inspires them to keep going.

“Every single life matters,” Zuluaga said. “Ziva—Roxy—was once a dog who trembled at every touch. Now she’s giving kisses and wagging her tail. That’s why we do what we do.”