Some dogs just never get the chance to see the true beauty of life, and it’s one of humanity’s great failures. Used as breeding dogs in shady puppy mills, these doggos cope with trauma their entire life.
Charlie Brown, the Labrador, was one of those dogs for years. He was found in terrible condition in an Ohio puppy mill.
For Charlie, freedom was an unknown concept. He was so used to life in a cage that he practically didn’t know how to be a dog. Traumatized, fearful, and shy, this canine was on the path to spending his entire life cut off from the world until one day, his destiny turned upside down!
Saved From A Puppy Mill
In 2020, the good folks at Labrador Retriever Rescue in Lake Erie, Ohio, rescued Charlie Brown from a harsh life in a puppy mill. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this kind-hearted fighter needed to quarantine himself, and that’s when he met Sherry. – His adoptive mother.
They visited Sherry’s home in Pennsylvania, where Charlie was given freedom. But the problem was that this kind boy had no idea how to behave.
For the first few weeks, he was literally frozen. When Sherry took him for a walk, he always lay on the ground. He was very nervous and traumatized because he wasn’t used to the normal life of a dog.
Shelley’s daughter, Bailey, arrived from New York City with her dog, Belle. The two (and even Belle) tried everything to cheer up Charlie Brown and get him back on his paws, but he just needed to go at his own pace.
“It almost seemed like he didn’t even know how to be a dog… When we got him into the house, he was pretty unsure. Every time he went out, he would just pancake on the ground,” Bailey told The Dodo.
Learning How To Be A Dog Again
In the first few weeks, Charlie Brown improved slightly. He was making small movements every day that showed there was a lot of life hidden beneath his scars, but he still lacked confidence in himself. It took 17 days for this fighter to start wagging its tail.
Now, over three weeks later, he puts the toy in his mouth for the first time. It was a great moment, a breakthrough for Charlie Brown as he finally began to understand that Shelley’s home was a safe place.
After a month, Charlie was a completely different dog. With the help of the Clément family, he became her most tender lover. He finally learned to walk and playing with Belle was a really fun experience. Charlie began to enjoy his time at the dog park. For the first time in his life, he was able to express his true self in a spacious courtyard and now has everything that resonates with his soul.
“Charlie Brown had clearly endured a lot of trauma when we got him and there are still things he is working through, but he has grown over these past 6 months to be the most loving, happiest and goofiest dog. He’s honestly a miracle,” Bailey wrote in her Instagram post.
In April 2020, Shelley and her daughter made a life-changing decision! They officially became foster fails to Charlie Brown, and decided to adopt him – for good!
After months of fostering this sweet, traumatized boi who made such good progress, there was no doubt that this Pennsylvanian family was the right fit for him. They were so grateful to finally be able to give this canine the life he always deserved.
