All dogs deserve to be treated with warmth and respect but sadly this isn’t always the case.
The reasons why a dog can be part of a loving family one minute and then dumped the next are countless, but none of them justify abandoning a dog, in my mind.
For 3-year-old German Shepherd dog Rocco he found himself scared and shaking after being dumped at an animal rescue center in Texas; the reason will make your blood boil.
It was obvious to those animal experts around him that Rocco had fell out of favor with his owners for some time before she was dumped.
She was underweight and very timid and understandably, very wary of adults.
Staff at the shelter were told that Rocco had been dumped because her owners were expecting a baby and no longer wanted their sweet, loyal friend.
The animal shelter published the photo of Rocco on Facebook in the hope that someone would adopt him.
‘Not the best owners’
A video of Rocco was posted online and animal lover Preethi Pillaipakkam, a foster through DFW German Shepherd Rescue, offered her help.
Preethi told The Dodo that she was surprised Rocco had been abandoned because of a new baby.
“But once I saw how underfed he was, it did not surprise me. It is probably a combination of change in family situation, plus not [being] the best owners in the first place,” she added.
Rocco weighed a mere 60 pounds, far below the normal weight of 85 to 90 pounds for a dog of his age and breed.
When Preethi took him home it was clear just how scared this dog was.
“He was very timid and scared to get into the car. He even hid beneath the seat in the car. He was pacing a bit and seemed very stressed,” she said.
Preethi already had a dog of the same breed which helped to bring Rocco out of his shell, but the process was a long one.
It took time for Rocco to realize that he was in a safe and loved environment but when he did his transformation was beautiful.
Dog shadow
“He slowly started exploring the house,” Preethi said. “He loves the couches and his doggy beds, and he really likes squeaky toys and tennis balls. He is a really good fetcher.”
He’s also become his animal hero’s shadow and won’t leave her side.
Preethi did her foster mom job well in helping Rocco come out of his shell and gain more confidence. She even set up an Instagram page so people could follow his progress.
The page led to a new forever family being found for Rocco.
Finally, this sweet and gentle dog gets the home he deserves, I do believe that some people don’t deserve the love and loyalty they get from their dogs.
Please share to celebrate all those animal heroes who do all they can to give dogs the love and respect they really deserve. We wish Rocco and his new family all the happiness for the future.
