The brave Schnauzer had lived with his family for 14 years before he was handed over to the Animal Haven shelter in New York.
A heartbreaking decision
His family made the difficult decision to surrender him because they could no longer meet his needs. Although Gandalf had severe dental problems and multiple cysts on his body, he was otherwise in good health.
The elderly dog was placed in the care of the rescuers at Animal Haven. They decided to keep him out of the main kennels, as they felt it would be too distressing for him after a lifetime in a comfortable home. Instead, Gandalf settled in near the reception team.
A glimmer of hope
The team shared his heartbreaking story on their TikTok account. In the video, poor Gandalf looks very confused and is trembling slightly after being abandoned. The caption read: "He was surrendered after 14 years. Gandalf needs a new home."
They also highlighted Gandalf's wonderful nature, explaining that he gets on well with people, children, other dogs, and cats, and would likely settle into any type of home.
His story generated a huge amount of interest online, with many people offering to adopt him. The very next day, a family was waiting outside the shelter before it had even opened, ready to adopt the sweet dog!
Before he was officially adopted, the rescuers made sure Gandalf had dental surgery and had a large, grapefruit-sized tumour removed from his chest. Gandalf is now recovering in his new home, and the team at Animal Haven are certain he will be spoiled for the rest of his days, just as he deserves.
