Everyone thought this poor dog was a coyote and stayed as far away from him as possible. But he wasn’t a wild animal; he was a dog who had never been touched before. Because he hadn’t had human contact, he was petrified of people. He ran away when anyone came near him. But that didn’t deter these rescuers from stepping up and saving him. Their patience and persistence was unmatched. They were able to put a leash around the dog and load him into their vehicle. The rescuers had to be careful because the dog lashed out every time they laid hands on him.
Thankfully, he was soon secured and headed to the rescue center. Erica, a producer with The Dodo, saw the dog’s photo online and had to find out what followed in this amazing story. She tracked down the dog on Instagram. She was able to find the dog’s foster mom, who happened to live in the same city as Erica.
Erica reached out and they video chatted for hours! The dog’s foster mom, LB, volunteers with The Animal Pad. She told Erica all about the dog, later named Simba, and the challenges they faced. Once Simba was cleaned up, he was unrecognizable! He finally looked like a dog. Erica asked if LB could text her with updates since it was still early on in Simba’s journey.
Soon, LB texted Erica when Simba sat on her lap for the first time. It was truly remarkable, considering where he came from. Day by Day, Simba began to trust LB even more. Soon, Simba was ready for his first walk. Erica decided to meet up with them in person. They decided to go to the beach, and Simba loved it! Take a look at him smiling in the photo below. He’s beaming!
Erica and Simba hit it off so well that she became his dog sitter. They both decided that Simba was ready to go to his forever home. Erica thought it would be brilliant to use The Dodo’s platform to reach as many people as possible and find Simba a home quickly. And it worked!
Merida is a senior who was found abandoned in a backyard with her sibling who had passed away. She was left to fend for herself as an 11-year-old with diabetes. Thankfully, Kanoa Rescue Foundation stepped in to save her, but she still needs your help!
To see Simba’s rescue and fairy tale ending, click the video below. We are so happy this brave boy met the right people and transformed into the doggy he was destined to become.
Toledo, United States.
