Pet shelter worker rescues dog, says dog rescued her

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — In 2020, animal lover Gabby Hoyt happily adopted Stella, a dog severely injured in a car crash. As it turns out, Stella also helped rescued Hoyt as well.

Stella came to Indy Humane with a fractured pelvis after she had been found hit by a car. She almost became a three-legged dog, but with emergency surgery, doctors said she may keep her leg and just move with a lopsided gait.

As she recovered, she was ushered into the office of Gabby Hoyt on the Indy Humane staff. At the time, Hoyt managed the medical sponsorship program and set out to take pictures and find her a sponsor.

She says that’s around the time Stella started saving her.

“We were getting hit with these animals who needed support. It was almost like you needed to pour from a cup that was half full,” Hoyt said, remembering feeling stressed and worried about her loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic, all while still going to work.

Hoyt said she felt a connection to Stella and decided to foster her at home to help her heal. Like a good dog, Stella heeled and stayed.  

“It just immediately pulled me out of a funk that I didn’t realize I was in,” Hoyt said. “I’m now waking up earlier and visiting parks … And my other dog is getting out more. I feel like the whole family has this breath of life in the house we didn’t know we needed.”

Hoyt says looking back, she’s grateful something really good happened in the pandemic.

“The inspiration of Stella just having this rough start to life but being so loving and kind, and willing to continue trusting people really inspired me that people really aren’t as bad as they may seem,” Hoyt said.