Villalobos Rescue Center staffers were recently treated to the saddest of sights. The New Orleans shelter is home to some of the most downtrodden animals in the area. However, nothing could have prepared these workers for what they were about to see on this fateful morning. A young pit bull had been left tied to the fence on their property.
The dog was clearly nervous and cowered when approached. The animal’s leg was tangled in the leash and their circulation was suffering as a result. It was clear to see that the animal was in dire straits. Freeing the dog from this makeshift prison was going to be easier said than done. “This dog is tangled and not really letting us approach him,” said one of the rescuers in a clip that was recorded during the incident.
“Meet Rock,” the note reads. “I can’t keep him no more due to personal problems with my family. He has been isolated in my room his whole life as my parents didn’t want him out of the room and on top of that, the landlord didn’t want dogs here. He’s 1 year and 4 months and never had human interaction besides my family so please build his human interaction.”
“Once you get to know him, he’s the sweetest dog you’ll know,” the note continued. “He is pet-friendly but can be nervous around people. Please take your time with [him] and give him a better home. I will always donate as much as I can for the wishlist … he is up-to-date with his shots.”
THE NOTE DOGACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDSThis is what we came into this morning. Another dog tied to our fence but this one came with a note. I guess that was supposed to make us feel better?. Your note says he's NEVER had any human interaction. Your note says he was kept isolated in a room his entire life. Your note says he will EVENTUALLY warm up to you and can be "nervous"…all "key words" that say "he will probably bite you". Thank you for dumping your problem on an already overloaded system here at VRC. But more than likely you called and got our message that said we were SO overwhelmed and that we could not take in anymore dogs at this time. Or maybe you were one of those people that came from out of state and we explained that we had to concentrate on dogs that were local and were no longer able to take dogs from out of state and like so many others, maybe you were one of those that cussed us out because we couldn't take YOUR dog. We care about dogs. That part is obvious. But we also care about over working our employees and having enough dogs to handle both physically and financially and emotionally. We were not the "last resort"…you were. All you had to do was talk to us and we might have been able to help in other ways. Instead your dog just went from an isolated bedroom to the chaos of a shelter filled with dogs. He is having a meltdown right now and growling and wanting to bite everyone that he sees. We are not miracle workers. We cannot save every dog. We do not have the money or manpower to always "work the magic". But today pushed us over the edge emotionally and physically. These are the days when we hate our job and break down and cry. My mission is to rescue but my hope is that one day, I won't have to….but it looks like that won't be anytime soon.
Posted by Villalobos Rescue Center on Thursday, April 11, 2019
They needed to make a plan for freeing the dog that would not cause him to sustain any further injury. The dog had also been left with some of his possessions. When the rescuers finally took the time to check the plastic bag that contained them, they also found a note. Once they read the note, their hearts were broken all over again. For starters, their new friend’s name was Rocky.
Rocky had been through a lot over the course of his life. The dog had been forced to live in isolation because the owner’s parents did not want Rocky in their house. The landlord of the residence was also against the idea of him being there. These circumstances forced the dog to spend a great deal of time in isolation. Now, Rocky’s former owner is trying to help out.
The rescuers were told that they needed to take the time to build up his human interaction skills. He’s a sweet dog but he does get nervous around others. The owner went on to say that they would donate as much money as possible, to make sure that the animal got everything on their wish list. The shelter did not have room for the dog and resorted to posting a video of the anxiety ridden dog on Facebook.
As luck would have it, the brother of Rocky’s owner happened to see the post. Since the sibling had left the home, they assumed that Rocky was doing just fine. Once they saw the clip, they knew that they had to take Rocky home with them. The shelter was reticent to release the dog at first but once they saw the animal’s reaction to the owner’s brother, they knew that they would do just fine together. If you would like to help other dogs in similar predicaments, be sure to offer a generous donation to the good folks at VRC.
UPDATE ON THE "NOTE DOG"UPDATE ON THE "NOTE DOG"A few days ago, so many of you were heartbroken at the sight of a dog tied to our fence with a note from his owner. According to the words written, the dog had been kept isolated from all human contact and was petrified of the world and they could no longer keep him.Honestly, we didn't hold out too much hope for this dog especially now being in a shelter environment. We did not have the means to put this dog anywhere else so that he could decompress and acclumate to the outside world around him. He would not let any of us near him. Then the miracle of social media came into play.The owner's brother saw our post. He was overwhelmed with grief. He had known this "Rocky" since a puppy and since he no longer lived with his family, he had assumed all was well with the dog. Upset at what had happened, he drove to our facility in New Orleans and pleaded with us to let him take the Rocky with him. Within seconds, this dog went from cowering and growling at all of us to recognizing the former owner's brother. Needless to say…..actions speak louder than words.Get our your Kleenex. This is a happy ending worth crying over.
Posted by Villalobos Rescue Center on Sunday, April 14, 2019
h/t: The Dodo
To help other abandoned dogs like Rocky, you can make a donation to the Villalobos Rescue Center.
