Baloo wasn’t even one year old when he was found abandoned in extreme heat in a dog run. If not for the kindhearted animal lover who rescued‘dehydrated and overheated’ pup, he’d never become the proud dog who 'lives for learning' he is now.
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Abandoned with a heartbreaking note
Lillian Engelhard was out taking one of her dogs for a walk when she passed a community dog run with a pooch in it but no owners in sight. She thought that the pup’s parents ran out of doggie bags and went to pick them up at the car or had an emergency of some sort.
As it was extremely hot, Engelhard decided to stay on the safe side and wait for Baloo’s owners to show up. She went to open the gate to the dog run, and to her heartbreak, found a note shoved in the handle.
It read:
This dog is not trained!!! *I had to leave him. Please save him (Venom).
Unsuspecting Baloo was just dumped there to fend for himself, with no one to take care of him.
‘He was pacing and seemed distraught’
Baloo wasn’t sure what he’d done to make his owners leave, and he didn’t get the chance to learn tricks before his rescue though no fault of his own.
Engelhard took matters into her own hands.
She said:
I walked in and he immediately greeted me with kisses and excitement. At that moment, I knew I had to help him.
The animal lover sat in her car and kept watch over Baloo to further assess the situation. The more she watched him, the more she saw signs that ‘he had been out there for a long time’.
She added:
He looked very dehydrated and overheated. He was pacing and seemed distraught. I knew I had to do something.
Looking for a forever home
Engelhard could tell that Baloo was a total lovebug, but with his high energy level, it became clear he had a few things to work on. She became his foster mum and began training the pooch, and before long, the excitable pup completely transformed.
The woman explained:
He suddenly lived for learning!
Within a few days he could sit, stay, lie down, sit pretty, was completely potty trained, understood when he could and couldn't hop up on the couch or bed, did great in his kennel and more. All he needed was a little bit of patience and someone invested in him.
Baloo is now in search of his forever home through Lost Our Home Pet Rescue. He’d do best with a family that has a strong understanding of his past and will continue working on his manners through patience and consistency.
Engelhard said:
He's taught me … how hard work can pay off. It's rewarding to spend a few days working hard to teach him something, and then see him do it all on his own from there on out.
Sources used:
- The Dodo: 'Woman Finds Dog Left All Alone In Park With The Saddest Note'
