Every dog wants to find a loving home. Sadly, for some pups, ‘forever’ just means ‘until you grow old,’ after which they are abandoned.
The unfortunate seniors then have to adjust to living on the streets or in the shelter – neither of which is ideal for a dog used to being loved and cared for.
This was the heart-wrenching fate that had befallen Diesel, a beautiful canine grandpa whose life suddenly fell apart when he was forced to face the harsh reality of life on his own.
Scared And Confused
For 11 years, Diesel had it all. A roof over his head, all the toys he could dream of, and a family that loved him dearly.
Unfortunately, all of this would end one day, and he would find himself in an unknown place, surrounded by strangers.
The staff at the West Milford Animal Shelter couldn’t see any reason why Diesel would be abandoned.
He was still pretty active, quite shy but friendly, loved playing with his ball, and was in pretty good health.
The only reason that would be apparent was heartbreaking: He was old.
“When people give up on a lifelong pet it angers the volunteers, unless there are exceptional and understandable circumstances. We feel bad for the animal, like in this instance with Diesel, as they have done nothing wrong,” a volunteer at the shelter, Richard Adamonis, told Newsweek.
He Stole Everyone’s Hearts
Diesel’s story shattered everyone who saw it on social media.
This adorable doggie did nothing wrong. If you didn’t know he was 11, you would’ve thought he was a much younger pup!
“He has such a beautiful spirit. He had the zoomies, carrying a ball in his mouth, rubbing his back on the grass with the sun shining down… it was adorable watching him enjoy the moments out of his kennel,” said the statement on the shelter’s Facebook post.
Diesel quickly became loved by everyone at the shelter. His mellow personality and kind soul made everyone hope he would quickly find a home where he could spend his golden years.
The Heartbreaking Statistics
Sadly, Diesel’s story is far from being the only one of its kind.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), about 3.1 million dogs enter shelters across the U.S. each year. Only around 2 million of them find a new home.
Approximately 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized, many of which are dogs – especially Pitbulls, such as Diesel.
In some cases, owners have had some serious life changes that made them unable to care for their four-legged companions. This can happen to anyone, and there is no reason to pass judgment.
However, in many instances, there is no apparent reason why someone would want to get rid of their once beloved canine.
Old dogs, especially those belonging to “dangerous” breeds, are at the highest risk of being euthanized.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for the West Milford Animal Shelter to let everyone know about the good news: Diesel has been adopted!
He will spend the rest of his life enjoying life from the comfort of a couch, with his favorite ball in his mouth.
Don’t we all love a happy ending like this one?
Vanja’s passion for writing started at an early age, which is why she pursued Journalism as her college degree. She can research any topic and find all the information before you bat an eye, which is a great thing for her job but a terrible one for her husband.
Even as a young child, she fell in love with everything fluffy – but dogs have a special place in her heart due to her childhood companion, a Corgie named Archie.
Motivated by her experiences and driven by a desire to give back to her four-legged companions, she spends her free time volunteering at a local dog shelter.