Hero, an older dog, fced a difficult history of being mistreated until the Pit Crew stepped in to help.
Caring for an older dog is no easy task, especially when the dog has experienced abuse in the past. Senior dogs with such backgrounds may find it hard to trust and accept love, making the adjustment to a caring home a challenging journey.
Image source: sugar_bears_hero
This situation is extra important for Hero because no one can predict how much time he has left in his life. Everyone wished for him to experience the love of a caring home.
Fortunately, Rusty and Anna, who already had a furry friend named Sugar Bear, were thinking about bringing another furry friend into their family. Therefore, they chose to give Hero an opportunity to find joy.
“His sweet eyes were just saying, ‘love me,’ and you just thought, wow, this guy really deserves a chance,” Anna shared.
Image source: sugar_bears_hero
Hero couldn’t join Rusty and Anna at home until an important decision was made by someone special—Sugar Bear, their existing dog.
It all hinged on whether Sugar Bear took a liking to Hero. If they didn’t hit it off, Rusty and Anna would have to search for another dog. Therefore, they set up a meeting between Hero and their dog to see how they would get along
Image source: sugar_bears_hero
Fortunately, when Hero and Sugar Bear met, it was a success. Sugar Bear’s eyes lit up with happiness at the sight of Hero, and they could tell this was the perfect match!
Back at home, Rusty and Anna soon realized they had made the right choice. Hero and Sugar Bear became inseparable, always sleeping side by side, and Hero quickly became an important member of their family
“If you stop petting him at all, he’ll start nudging you to remind you, ‘Hey, I’m still here,’” Rusty explained.
Image source: sugar_bears_hero
Rusty added, “If at any reason you decided to stop petting him and he couldn’t get your attention, no matter how much he nudged you, he moved on to the next person and he’d start nudging them.”
Hero had a genuine love for his human mom and dad.
Image source: sugar_bears_hero
When Rusty came home, Hero, with his sharp ears, would hear the noisy car and eagerly run to be the first to say hello at the door.
Hero was like a constant companion at home, always following everyone around, even to the bathroom. Anna had to get accustomed to having a furry sidekick wherever she went.
When Hero was saved, he was already an older dog, about eight or nine years old, and they thought he might not have much time left. But you know what? Hero lived for three more years.
“From the moment we adopted Hero, we promised to love and protect him. He would never be hungry or hurt again. The beauty of Hero is that after all he had been through, he only wanted to be loved by all he met,” Rusty and Anna penned a tribute for Hero, who sadly passed away on May 6, 2022.
For three amazing years, Rusty, Anna, and Sugar Bear had the joy of loving and being loved by Hero. He made their lives brighter.
