He had been given away for free 🥺
During a recent heatwave in Michigan, a woman noticed a frail dog sitting alone in a Detroit neighborhood. As she got closer, her heart sank: The skinny dog was tied to a fire hydrant and covered in scrapes.
“He was so infested with fleas, it was beyond,” Judie Jones, director at Make a Difference Rescue, told The Dodo. “His ribs were showing.”
A volunteer with Make a Difference Rescue arrived to collect the pup. Often, the dogs cower from humans because “they don’t know what you’re going to do,” said Jones.
But this dog seemed to recognize a gentle soul had come to help.
“He allowed us to untie him,” Jones said. “He allowed us to put him right in the car … He was very thankful to be rescued.”
Though unclear how long he’d been outside, Jones said that in 80-degree weather, it wouldn’t have taken long for a dog his size to grow very dehydrated.
At his first vet visit, the 4-year-old dog, later named Buddy, received a full wellness exam, a bath and treatment for the fleas and skin infections on his back.
During this entire process, Buddy’s friendly disposition never wavered.
“He’s about as sweet as sugar,” Jones said. “His personality is pretty stable for what he’s gone through.”
Jones and her volunteer network did some digging and were able to determine that Buddy’s owners had given him away for free. Unfortunately, whoever they gave him to had abandoned Buddy without food, water or shelter.
Sadly, Jones sees dogs in situations like this all the time. She makes a point to treat them like royalty right away.
“After we go to the vet’s … we always stop at McDonald’s,” Jones said. “I’ll tell you what — he loves chicken nuggets.”
Since Buddy’s rescue, he’s really come alive. He enjoys cuddling and feeling the breeze through an open window during car rides. Later this week, he’ll officially be up for adoption through Make a Difference Rescue.
“I don’t see any aggression in him,” Jones said. “He is just so cuddly and wonderful.”
She knows his forever family is out there, waiting to give him all the love he deserves.
If you’re interested in adopting Buddy or want to donate to his care, you can reach out to Make a Difference Rescue via their website.