Hero, an older dog, had a tough past filled with mistreatment until the Pit Crew came to his rescue.
Taking care of a senior dog is tough, and it's even more challenging when the dog comes from an abusive past. Senior dogs from such backgrounds might struggle with trust and love, making the transition to a loving home difficult.
Source: sugar_bears_hero
This challenge is more crucial for Hero because nobody knows how long he still has left in his life. But everyone wanted him to live in a loving home.
Luckily, Rusty and Anna, who already had a furry friend named Sugar Bear, were considering adding another furry friend to their family. So, they decided to give Hero a chance at happiness.
“His sweet eyes were just saying, ‘love me,’ and you just thought, wow, this guy really deserves a chance,” Anna shared.
Source: sugar_bears_hero
Hero couldn't go home with Rusty and Anna until someone important gave the green light—Sugar Bear, their other dog.
It all depended on whether Sugar Bear liked Hero or not. If they didn't get along, Rusty and Anna would have to find another dog. So, they arranged a meet-and-greet between him and their dog.
Source: sugar_bears_hero
Luckily, the meet-and-greet between Hero and Sugar Bear went well. Sugar Bear's eyes sparkled with joy upon encountering Hero. And they knew this was it!
Once home, the realization dawned on Rusty and Anna—they had made the right decision. He and Sugar Bear always slept next to each other, and he quickly established himself as an integral part 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.
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 truly loved his human parents.
Source: sugar_bears_hero
When Rusty drove home, Hero, with his keen ears, would hear the loud car and rush to be the first to greet him at the door.
Hero was quite the shadow at home—he followed everyone, even to the bathroom. Anna had to get used to having a furry companion wherever she went.
When Hero was rescued, he was already a senior, around eight or nine years old, and they thought he might not have much time left. But guess 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 wrote as a tribute to Hero, who passed away on May 6, 2022.
For three wonderful years, Rusty, Anna, and Sugar Bear got to love and be loved by Hero. He changed their lives for the better. For more other stories about animals, click here!