When Suzette Hall answered her phone the other day, she expected the call to be about a dog needing help. As founder of Logan’s Legacy, Hall saves pups around Orange County, California, all the time — but this request was different.
The caller reported seeing two small dogs in their neighborhood, and their behavior was concerning.
The dogs seemed to have been left behind by their previous family. On top of waiting in the same spot for days, the two absolutely refused to be apart.
“They would literally follow each other up the street and then back to their spot,” Hall told The Dodo. “They never, ever, ever left each other’s side.”
Neighbors tried repeatedly to lure the pups, later named Pongo and Lily, into their homes for shelter, but nothing worked.
After several failed attempts, the worried neighbors set up a bed, food and water for the dogs and then reached out to every rescue they could.
That’s when Hall heard about them.
Hall knew their rescue wouldn’t be easy as soon as she heard their description, since two dogs are typically harder to catch than one. But she quickly learned that she’d have some much-needed help: Another local rescuer named Chloe was also on the case.
“[I] realized an amazing [rescuer], Chloe, was asking for fosters for them,” Hall wrote on Facebook. “Thank goodness Chloe and I connected. There’s nothing better than [rescuers] working together to save lives.”
Hall, Chloe and their respective rescue teams immediately jumped into collective action.
First, they set a humane dog trap with enticing treats. Everyone held their breath as they watched Pongo and Lily approach the trap.
“[Pongo] went in so fast,” Hall wrote, “but the tiny black one [was] so weary. But she stayed right by her friend.”
Lily mostly stuck by Pongo’s side after he’d been trapped, but she eventually wandered off into an adjacent yard.
The team of rescuers grabbed some baby gates and followed her.
When Lily bolted under a car for shelter, the rescuers used the baby gates to make sure she couldn’t get out again.
Before long, Lily was safe in Hall’s arms with her best friend, Pongo, watching anxiously from his crate nearby.
“It was so cute to see how bonded these two were,” Hall said. “They were skinny, scared and sweet all at the same time.”
The dogs were immediately reunited and went straight into foster care, where they received much-needed baths and haircuts.
Today, the dogs are happier than ever and continue to thrive every day. They’re still on the market for a forever home as a package deal, but Hall knows that their dream-come-true is right around the corner.
After all, the two dogs have a team of rescuers who won’t rest until they find the perfect family. And in Hall’s eyes, that fact alone generates a certain kind of magic.
“[Teamwork] makes miracles happen,” she wrote.
To inquire about adopting Pongo and Lily, reach out to Suzette Hall on Facebook.
To help pups like Pongo and Lily get the help they need, you can make a donation here.