Most of us love to shower our pets with love and affection, but tragically, there are some horrible pet owners out there, which just goes to show that some people should never go near animals for their own safety.
One of those people was the owner of Chunk, an adorable three-month-old puppy who had apparently lost her joy and energy.
Ever since she was born, her owner treated her badly.
After three months, they abandoned her by the side of the road and tied her to a tree so that she could not escape.
The poor puppy was out in the rain, completely terrified and wondering what she could do.
Fortunately, albeit by accident, the trapped puppy was found by the local fire department. On a cold October day in Sacramento, a crew from the department managed to save Chunk just in time.
They were responding to an emergency call when they saw four feet on the side of the road. As it was an emergency, the team could not stop immediately but had to return after dealing with their call.
The harsh weather was so hard on her, the firemen still remember how the poor little thing shivered from the cold.
Firefighter Mike Thawley decided to adopt little Chunk and took her back to the fire department station.
Mike and his colleagues did everything they could to give this poor puppy good love and care.
She was still very cold, so the first thing they did was give her a warm bath, with hugs and cuddles from a number of firefighters.
Not only was she suffering from a cold, however, it was clear from the start that she was dealing with a severe hangover. It is certainly not unusual to see psoriasis in dogs that have been neglected or abused by their owners.
Chunk received first aid from the fire department and was later brought to an animal shelter for further treatment and found her forever loving home that day.
Front Street Animal Shelter took her in and treated her for vomiting and made a full recovery. A foster home was also found where she could stay temporarily until she recovered.
It took a while for her fur to start growing back, and Chunk’s rehabilitation didn’t go as smoothly as they had hoped.
While Chunk spent her days at the shelter or her foster home, there was one person in particular she couldn’t stop thinking about.
Firefighter Mike Thawley returned to the shelter in shock.
The pitbull has certainly not forgotten who this man was, and you can see how energetic and happy she is as she reunites with her rescuer.
“We all fell in love with her,” the Sacramento Fire Department posted on their Facebook page.
Mike didn’t come to the shelter alone, his wife and three daughters did too. They were there for a special reason!
The firefighter and his family were willing to take care of her forever.
“Though Mike denies it, a four-to-one vote means Chunk may have a permanent home!” He laughs and says in the post.
It took four months before Mike and his family could take her home because her mange treatment was still not over, but after that time they were all happy to adopt her.
“I think the greatest thing about this whole story is that not only did this dog find his forever home, but he had the opportunity to go to a foster home where we are always looking for a place to stay happy and healthy.” Bobby Mann, a shelter staff member, added.
