When rescuers at the Benton-Franklin Society shelter in the USA first met the puppy, their hearts broke.
His former owner had just 'dropped him off' at the shelter.
A heartless abandonment
The man explained that he had only had the dog for three days and wanted to give him up. He told the rescuers this with a detachment that stunned them. They got the impression that he simply wanted to 'get rid' of the poor puppy. He hadn't even given him a name!
The rescuers took the puppy into their care. The poor little thing was understandably stressed by being abandoned. He was also very frightened by the noises in the shelter and the barking of the other dogs in their kennels. They knew they had to act quickly to help him relax.
A simple act of kindness
To help him relax, the rescuers gave the puppy a lovely warm bath. He enjoyed it, and the relaxing effect helped to soothe him once he was back in his kennel. Julie, one of the rescuers, named him Waffles. She stayed close by to help him calm down.
Waffles eventually fell asleep. The next day, he was overjoyed to see Julie and the rest of the team. He had realised that he was finally in good hands. Waffles had no trouble finding a home. He soon left the shelter to start a happy new life with his forever family!
