Katie Graham is a dog trainer, so she's never short of canine company in her daily life, dedicating absolutely all her days to them.
So when she heard the sad story of a dog rescued by one of her friends, she made herself available to help. Victim of a cruel abandonment, a black and white dog was tied to a bench at the side of a road in Georgia, United States. With temperatures exceeding 95°F, and only a bowl of water as her means of survival, the poor animal didn't have long before suffering a terrible heatstroke.
Fortunately, Katie's friend spotted the dog and took her to the nearest shelter. As she seemed terrified, Katie Graham offered to visit this dog to assess her behaviour.
An unforgettable gaze
Once she arrived at the shelter, Katie went to meet the dog and filmed these first moments. Whilst the dog was indeed frightened as she'd expected, she hadn't anticipated that the gaze of this poor soul would pierce right through her.
As soon as the kennel door opened, the dog locked eyes with Katie and never looked away. She seemed desperately in need of her help, and whilst the trainer hadn't planned to adopt a dog any time soon, she was completely won over by those imploring eyes.
In this overcrowded shelter, euthanasia was rife due to lack of space, and the dog was so fearful that she was at the top of the list, as she was difficult to rehome. Even though Katie was suffering from a chronic illness and recent bereavement, and had no intention whatsoever of adopting an animal, she explained that she suddenly noticed her pain disappear when she met that very special gaze.
Following her heart, she decided to adopt this dog to keep her safe. After naming her Roo, Katie set herself the mission of convincing her that she could trust again and making her feel loved.
Convinced that they could help each other through their respective suffering, Katie has since experienced a special relationship with this dog who opened her heart to her. Very close to her new owner, Roo follows her everywhere and has settled in beautifully with the dogs who were already in the household.
Viewed 2 million times, the video of Katie and Roo's meeting touched the hearts of internet users. Today, numerous people send her messages of support, highlighting the fact that they were truly meant to meet.
