Would you ever leave someone you love behind? It doesn’t have to be a person; it could be your pet. Sadly, many people abandon their furry friends. For some, the love for their animals fades away over time.
Take Smiley, an incredibly cute pit bull. His owners neglected him because they were expecting a baby. Smiley ended up on the ‘kill list’ at an animal shelter in Brooklyn. The shelter noted that he could get uncomfortable when someone reached over him.
Julie Carner, a dedicated advocate for pit bulls, shared Smiley’s story on Facebook. She wrote, “I’M A GOOD BOY, I WOULD HAVE LOVED THAT NEW BABY! – PLEASE HELP ME, I DON’T WANT TO DIE!” Smiley is friendly and outgoing. He loves to play with ball toys and squeaky toys. He’s house-trained and knows commands like sit, stay, and come—in Spanish! If he pulls on the leash, he will slow down when asked. There are no guarding issues with him.
Olena Kagui, Smiley’s angel in disguise, spotted Julie’s post while with her husband. She usually scrolls past many dog posts, but Smiley’s story stopped her in her tracks. “I started bawling when I saw that no one had offered to take him,” she said. Her husband noticed her tears and read the post. “We can’t get a dog right now,” he said.
But Kagui didn’t give up. She convinced her husband to foster Smiley. They visited a local rescue, Pound Hounds Res-Q, and brought him home. At first, Smiley was nervous. Sure, he’s just a dog, but he has feelings just like us.
“He drank some water, and it was clear he was house-trained,” Kagui recalled. “He knew not to jump on the bed or chew anything except his toys. But he wouldn’t settle down or look at me all day.”
With the love he deserves, Smiley began to heal. He started to trust humans again. “He became much calmer, pulled less, and loved being around other dogs and people,” Kagui said.
If you truly love animals, you know it’s hard to resist the charm of a dog. Eventually, Kagui and her husband fell for Smiley and decided to adopt him. “Smiley already feels like part of our family. It doesn’t take long for a foster dog to find a place in your heart. Our home would feel empty without him.”
Kagui’s message is clear: “Smiley proves that all shelter dogs deserve a second chance. Even if they have issues in the shelter, they might be completely fine in a loving home.”
So, if you don’t plan to love your pet forever, think twice before bringing one into your life.
