People see stray pup and realise there's something written on her coat

white dog with writing in permanent marker on coat

While it’s understandable that circumstances may change, it’s never ok to abandon an animal and leave it to fend for itself. This poor puppy was very lucky.

By Justine Seraphin

Published on the 28/11/2021 18:00, Updated on the 22/05/2022 07:30

Back in 2018, people noticed a puppy wandering around a park in Ohio.

There was something strange about the pup’s coat. It looked like it was dirty.

Dog abandoned with a 'note'

As people got closer, they realised it wasn’t dirt on the dog’s coat. It was marker. And the words written on the dog were chilling.

On her side, in large letters, was written: “Free”, and on her forehead: “Good home only”.

The people in the park immediately understood that this was an animal abandonment case, and they contacted a local animal rescue for help.

A new start

The dog, later named “Marvella”, was given a nice bath to remove all those horrible words from her body. Thankfully, she was healthy and not to mention beautiful, so she quickly found a home.

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Her previous owners were found and charged for animal cruelty, abandonment, and failure to license. While rehoming an animal through a professional rescue is understandable in various circumstances, it’s never alright to let an animal fend for themselves. Marvella was very lucky, but this story could’ve ended so much more tragically.

We trust that Marvella is doing fantastic in her new home today!

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Justine Seraphin

Justine Seraphin is a Content Writer and Community Manager for Wamiz UK. After graduating from Anglia Ruskin University with an Animal Behaviour and Welfare degree, she went to save cheetahs in Namibia and then elephant seals in California. Now she likes to write stories about amazing animals with Elton, her Italian Greyhound, sitting on her lap.