In an urgent and heart-wrenching situation, a pregnant dog was found trapped in the bitter winter snow, shivering from the cold and bleeding in what appeared to be a desperate struggle for survival. The freezing temperatures had left the poor animal in an unimaginable condition, vulnerable and alone in a cruel, snow-covered environment. Rescuers had only a limited amount of time to save her, and the race against time was on.
The dog, who appeared to be near the end of her pregnancy, was discovered in a remote area, far from any shelter. She had somehow become trapped in a snowdrift, her movements restricted by the thick, icy conditions. Her once-beautiful coat was matted with snow and blood, and she was visibly weak and exhausted from the ordeal. Her body trembled uncontrollably from the cold, and it was clear that her situation was rapidly deteriorating.
The bleeding suggested that the dog had been in labor or had suffered an injury, but whatever the cause, it was immediately apparent that she needed urgent medical attention. The rescuers, working against the clock, knew that the situation was critical – not just for the dog, but for her unborn puppies as well. If she didn’t receive immediate care, there was a real risk of her death, along with the loss of her litter.
Fortunately, a group of compassionate animal rescuers, along with a veterinary team, had been alerted to the emergency and arrived quickly on the scene. The rescue was perilous, with the cold snow and limited visibility making it difficult to navigate. Yet the team, driven by determination and empathy, worked swiftly to reach the dog and free her from the snowbank. The team was careful not to cause her any more stress or harm, considering her vulnerable condition and the potential danger to her unborn pups.
Once the dog was safely freed, her situation remained dire. She was immediately wrapped in warm blankets and rushed to a veterinary clinic where the full extent of her injuries and health condition could be assessed. The bleeding was a serious concern, and it was determined that she was indeed in labor. The veterinary team worked diligently to stabilize her, administering fluids, pain relief, and other necessary treatments to ensure her safety.
In the following days, the pregnant dog – now named Hope by her rescuers – continued to receive round-the-clock care. Fortunately, after several days of treatment and observation, her condition stabilized. The bleeding stopped, and the cold-induced shivering subsided as her body began to recover from the harsh exposure. Hope gave birth to a healthy litter of puppies, who were all safely delivered and are thriving in the warmth of a dedicated foster home.
Hope’s miraculous rescue serves as a reminder of the resilience and strength of animals in the face of unimaginable adversity. It also highlights the crucial role of animal rescue teams and the urgent need to provide immediate assistance to animals in distress, particularly during extreme weather conditions.
This rescue operation was a race against time, but thanks to the quick action of the rescue team, Hope and her puppies now have a chance at a brighter future. While her story had a happy ending, many animals still face similar dangers, especially during harsh winters. This serves as a call to action for the public to remain vigilant and compassionate toward animals in need, particularly in the coldest months of the year.
For those who are able, supporting animal shelters, rescue organizations, and veterinary clinics ensures that more animals like Hope can be rescued, cared for, and eventually rehomed into loving families. Every effort counts, and every life saved makes a difference.
With as much output as the Ferrari Testarossa, the E450 has a powerful engine under the hood and is a luxury fitting for a fat cat sitting at the back. But is it a driver’s car?
Highlights
0-100kmph in 4.5 seconds
375bhp and 500Nm from 3.0-litre straight-six
Costs Rs 92.50 lakh (ex-showroom)
What is a Sleeper?
In car guys’ terms, a ‘sleeper’ means a ‘car with a big powerful engine under the hood, packing in a lot of horsepower’. But that’s any performance car, right? Well, the Sleeper tag comes in if the external appearance of the said car doesn’t give you the slightest hint of just how much power is lurking underneath. But you must be wondering if the car you see in the pictures here is your regular new-generation E-Class. And we had already driven the new E-Class some five months ago when the sixth-generation E-Class landed on our shores. That one was the E200. It had a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine under the hood, which makes just over 200bhp and 320Nm. It’s rear-wheel-drive and can do 0-100kmph in just over eight seconds. You can also have the E-Class with a similar output diesel in the E220d guise.
But what you see here is not your regular E-Class. This isn’t the E63 AMG either; don’t get too excited yet. I wouldn’t have been able to hold my giggles if it was an E63. But this one, it’s the range-topper. Costing over 17 lakh rupees more than the E200 (with a sticker price of Rs 92.5 lakh ex-showroom), this one wears a 450 badge. But does it qualify as a ‘sleeper’?
Under the long bonnet of the E450 sits a straight-six. The 3.0-litre straight-six makes 387bhp and 500Nm. That’s good enough to clock the acceleration time from 0-100kmph in just 4.5 seconds. To give you a perspective, the output is almost 170bhp more than the E200, and the acceleration time is as good as the erstwhile Nissan 370Z or the Porsche 718 Cayman. Want to know some more cars this can keep up with – the Alpine A110S, the Jaguar F-Type RWD or even some American muscle cars? And these are some serious driver’s cars. But the question is – is this E450 a driver’s car?
Well, it is fast, for the starters. The single-scroll turbocharger is ready at boost as soon as you plant your right foot on the accelerator, and the acceleration time of sub-5 seconds is apparent, and all that 500Nm is felt the moment you wring it. The squat position just before the take-off also proves just how intense the horsepower is under the hood. But there’s no hiding the fact that this is a large, heavy sedan.
It will be bought by the fat cat sitting at the back to be chauffeured from one meeting to another. They won’t care about the AWD setup, which reduces the understeer and enhances the grip when tackling a corner. They won’t even bother when say at the traffic light GP this one can smoke almost anything standing next to it. This is a fat, hefty sedan that can crunch the minions the same way the owner sitting at the back does in their respective field.
Sadly, no, this is not the driver’s car you’d want it to be.
It doesn’t feel as eager and as light on its feet as the C-Class does. We have driven the C300, and it feels like a proper sprinter compared to this one. This one has matured a lot to assume the S-Class’s place after all. Similar to that middle-aged uncle we all know who tries to wear a hip t-shirt and sneakers to look and feel young, but he simply cannot escape the fact that with age (and dimension), comes maturity. The E-Class is now more mature. The bigger engine here is to make the commutes swifter rather than thrilling. It can easily sit at triple-digit speeds and can overtake at will. But it’s not there to give an adrenaline rush to the driver.
Apart from the engine, which is smooth, refined, vibration-free at any speed and quite responsive, too, the overall hardware largely remains unchanged. I still wish the E-Class came with a better set of tyres that were a tad grippier and a bit more silent. The steering feels light and easy at slow speeds. But I wish they were a bit more communicative. The ride isn’t too bad, either. It absorbs most irregularities without a bother. The gearbox, too, is smooth, quick-shifting and free from any lags or jerks.
