By Kevin Smith
Discovering a terrified, malnourished puppy alone in a remote area is any dog lover’s worst nightmare, especially when it’s a helpless pup with no way to care for itself.
Hank, a pit bull, was abandoned in the woods when he was just eight months old. His owners may have attempted to ease their conscience by leaving his belongings and an unsealed bag of food (which he couldn’t open), but their efforts were in vain.
Fortunately, due to the kindness of strangers, Hank’s story ended happily.
Hank, The Living Dog Statue
A Good Samaritan stumbled upon a puppy sitting in his bed in a Florida forest. The dog remained completely still, even as the stranger approached.
Next to the pup were an unopened bag of dog food and some toys, presumably left by his previous owners. However, the unopened bag meant the pup couldn’t feed himself.
The rescuer was most alarmed by the dog’s unresponsiveness; he sat motionless, like a living statue. Though the man didn’t know where the pup came from or who abandoned him, the heartache in the dog’s eyes was unmistakable.
Realizing the pup’s fragile state, the man chose not to move him and instead contacted a local animal shelter to come to the rescue.
A Ray of Hope
After two weeks alone in the woods, Hank finally received help from shelter staff who promptly responded to the call. They approached him cautiously, concerned that Hank might react aggressively due to his ordeal. However, as soon as they reached him, Hank showed only gratitude and affection towards his rescuers.
Rosa Fond, the owner of Humans and Animals United, told The Dodo that Hank was one of the sweetest and most loving dogs they had ever encountered. It wasn’t long before he won the hearts of everyone at the shelter.
He seemed to understand that the humans approaching him were there to rescue him, and he eagerly expressed his gratitude for their kindness.
The ‘Living Statue’ Mystery Solved
A vet examination revealed why Hank wasn’t moving when the Good Samaritan and shelter staff found him—he had a broken leg.
The vet determined that the injury was at least two weeks old, possibly occurring before Hank was abandoned. There were no other signs of violence, so it remains unclear if Hank was abused prior to being left in the forest.
One thing was certain—Hank needed leg surgery urgently, and Rosa Fond didn’t hesitate to cover the treatment costs. However, Hank was too malnourished for surgery, so they had to wait until he gained some weight.
In the meantime, Hank received an abundance of hugs, kisses, and cuddles from the vet staff who couldn’t get enough of him.
After his surgery, Hank was placed in a foster home where he’s now enjoying the best days of his life.
Although many people have shown interest in adopting this wonderful pup, Fond believes it’s best for Hank to fully recover before joining a new family.
“He’s gonna have a little bit of a journey to go through before he’s fully adoptable […] But, he’s safe now and he’ll never, ever be hurt again.”
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