Every day, shelter dogs wake up hoping to finally meet their humans and be loved.
Shelter dogs, hungry for love and affection, will try to get the attention of visitors when they see them approaching the kennel. Many canines will start wagging their tails and barking, hoping to get noticed.
Rudy was one of those quiet shelter dogs who sat in his kennel, looking sadly at people passing by. The adorable pit bull mix had been rejected by her family and was in desperate need of someone to talk to her and tell her she was worth it.
Discover Rudy and learn his story
White dog lying in bed with his owner
Among those participating that day with the Animal Rescue League of Berks County, Pennsylvania was a volunteer named Stephanie. She is grieving the loss of her heart dog, Hank, and has come to help the dogs at the shelter and show them the love they are missing.
When he entered the shelter, he found all the dogs except one named Rudy barking loudly. His thoughtful face immediately caught her attention and melted her heart.
“… He’s just sitting there looking at me, almost like saying please come talk to me.”
Stephanie was saddened after she heard Rudy’s story. He used to have a family who adopted him. After giving him hope and taking him home, they decided that they didn’t want him anymore.
They hurt his feelings after they let him out on the streets. He was wandering the area all alone, trying to find scraps of food in order to survive.
Luckily, The Humane Police found him and took him in. Rudy was in a terrible state; he was very underweight and his body was covered in fleas.
Stephanie understood the sad expression on his face and she began spending more time with him, taking him on walks and talking to him.
Rudy Leaves The Shelter
Little by little, she fell in love with him. She and her husband, Matt, decided to foster him with the intention of adopting him. She wanted to help him build his confidence back and help him become a happy pup.
Rudy walked out of the shelter and hopped into Stephanie’s car. The pup was relaxed, and he trusted her so much that he put his little head on her shoulder. Stephanie was overjoyed.
The next morning, Stephanie got very worried about Rudy’s health when she saw that he was chewing on his feet. She immediately called the shelter and they eased her mind, saying that Rudy probably had a food allergy.
She realized that she couldn’t take Rudy back to the shelter. He needed her and she was determined to help him figure out what was causing his allergy.
Rudy had his fur and saliva tested.
“..I started seeing what crossed over and started taking away those things,” Stephanie said.
He seemed to be getting better. After Stephanie noticed that his weight was fluctuating, she decided to have his microbiome tested. That proved to be a turning-point because she learned that Rudy had some food sensitivities.
After the resilient canine began avoiding the food he was sensitive to, he gained weight.
Completing Each Other’s Lives
Both Stephanie and Matt showered Rudy with love, and the pup loves to cuddle with both of his parents. With his adorable kisses, he lets them know how much he adores them.
“In the evening, he will take turns snuggling us. He will go over to dad, snuggle time and then after a while, like eight o’clock every night, he comes over and snuggles with me,” said Stephanie.
Although Rudy has gained confidence, he still needs some reassurance.
Whenever he thinks that he has done something wrong, he wants his parents to hold his paw. He needs to know that it’s okay.
Stephanie is grateful to Rudy because he taught her many things. He helped her cope with the loss of Hank, whom she will love forever. Rudy carved out his own space in her heart.
“I would like to tell Rudy thank you for finding me and teaching me how to be gentle with not just my grief but with him and that he is enough. You don’t have to fill those shoes. You have your own.”
The adorable pup often posts cute pictures on Instagram about his adventures and sweet moments with his parents and his cat siblings, Winnie, Boris, and Ty.
Rudy loves going hiking in the woods in Berks County, Pennsylvania. He also enjoys going on walks with his doggy friend, Gracie.
We’re happy that Rudy lives his best life. He knows that he will never be rejected and abandoned again. He and his mom have completed each other’s life.
