A couple of months ago, a family living in Southern California received an eviction notice. They swiftly packed up all of their belongings and moved on to their next home, but they forgot to bring someone special: their senior pup.
“They literally drove off and left him behind,” Suzette Hall, founder of Logan’s Legacy dog rescue, told The Dodo. “And he for them to come back.”
The heartbroken dog, later named Fritter, had no idea where his family went. He no longer had access to the inside of the house, so he hunkered down in the empty boxes strewn in the yard and waited for his loved ones to return.
“Sometimes, he would wait in the middle of the street and look at every car,” Hall said. “The neighbors would leave food and water, and he made a little bed for himself in a fox
Neighbors tried to care for the dog as best as they could, but he wouldn’t let them get too close. When they learned that the city wanted to tear the house down, they immediately reached out to Logan’s Legacy for help.
“I was so sad when I saw him,” Hall said. “He was so loyal. He really thought they were coming back.”
Hall set a humane trap with high-value treats and waited for Fritter to go inside, but he didn’t budge. Just like he’d avoided the neighbors, the dog was wary of Hall’s rescue efforts.
“He was really hard to catch, but we were able to get him cornered,” Hall said. “When I got him into my trap, he was just shivering and shivering. He was so scared.”
With the dog safely in her van, Hall spoke gently to Fritter on their ride to Camino Pet Hospital. When they finally parked, Fritter was calm enough to let Hall hug him.
“It felt so good when I finally got him out of the trap and held him,” Hall said. “I just told him that everything was going to be OK and that he would never, ever be left behind if anyone moved again.”
The rescuer showered Fritter with before handing him off to the veterinary team. After a bath and some medicine, Fritter’s demeanor changed completely.
“He’s so sweet now,” Hall said. “He knows that he’s rescued and safe. He’s smiling now.”
As of now, Fritter’s still soaking up all the love at Camino Pet Hospital, but he’s on the hunt for a foster or adoptive home.
“He has so much love to give and would make the perfect pet,” Hall said.
Until then, Hall and her team will keep reminding Fritter that he’s safe, loved and will never have to sleep in a moving box again.