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It’s unbelievable how some people can heartlessly abandon their dogs, tossing them away to fend for themselves, leaving the dogs confused to why their family suddenly isn’t there to take care of them.
But one recent case is especially heartbreaking: a family moved away and for some reason decided to leave their dog behind, who was left helplessly waiting in vain for their return.
The poor dog was spotted wandering around his neighborhood in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, but always returned to his familiar porch, as if still loyal to his old family and oblivious to the fact that they’d never return to him.
Neighbors caught on to the situation and contacted Speranza Animal Shelter. The shelter’s founder, Janine Guido, showed up to take in the dog, and found him scrounging for scraps of food in a dumpster.
When she tried to approach and feed the dog, he retreated… and pawed at the old door, still expecting someone to let him inside.
Janine was heartbroken by the sight, but resolved to gain the dog’s trust. She returned with more food, and was able to get the dog to trust her by speaking in a reassuring voice, telling him that things would be okay now.
“It sounds dumb but I swear he knew what I was saying to him,” she told The Dodo. “He literally came over and sat down and allowed me to leash him.”
She cried as she drove the dog to the shelter, but the dog now seemed calm, as if he knew he was in good hands.
“I’m so sorry you were let down,” the shelter wrote on Facebook. “But I hope you realize we are here to help. And you will never be left alone again.”
The dog settled in to his new life in the shelter’s care. They named him Cupid, fittingly as he was found so close to Valentine’s Day.
“He has been nothing but the sweetest gentleman since coming to the rescue,” Janine told The Dodo. “You can tell he’s still really confused. But he is happy to meet everyone with a wagging tail.”
Of course the shelter is hoping to find Cupid a good home, but they are caring for his health first. Cupid is 45-50 pounds, and was found with hair loss and some scarring.
He will need to see a vet and be neutered before he’s put up for adoption.
But luckily, it looks like this poor dog will have no problem finding a home once he’s ready. He’s already received over 50 adoption applications. You can fill one out on their website if you are interested in adopting Cupid (or any of the other dogs in need in their care.)
“I don’t think that will be hard to find because he truly is the sweetest guy,” Janine said.
Cupid’s heartbreaking story shows how endlessly loyal dogs can be… even to owners who don’t return that loyalty.
We hope he finds a happy home who will love him forever! Let’s help get this dog adopted, share this story!
