Redditors Give Awesome Care Tips To Lady Who Offered To Care For Her Homeless Friend's Neglected Dog

"I don't know the right way to handle this situation"

Maryjane

• Published in Animal Stories
• February 9, 2024

Unfortunately, animal abuse is an all-too-common instance of cruel and horrifying human behavior. Animal abusers frequently leave behind permanent wounds that may follow them for the rest of their lives.

All these dogs need is a little time and care to recall how to trust people. When working with a dog that has experienced maltreatment, the most crucial thing to keep in mind is to have patience.

It can take a lot of effort and care to help them get past their mistrust and fear of humans. Many owners may feel overwhelmed if they lack the requisite time or skills to devote to the process but not the OP of today's story.

The OP called her friend on a whim because she hadn't heard from him in a while. When he answered, the OP knew something was wrong, and after some prodding, he broke down in tears.

His mom and sister got into a huge fight and basically kicked him out with his dog. The OP offered to take him in on the couch for a bit and watch the dog for as long as she could.

The OP is a softie like that, and she loves dogs. She and her boyfriend are hoping to get a dog soon, so they figured it would be a trial run.

As the OP cared for the dog, she noticed that when a stranger goes to pet him, he cowers away like he's going to be hit. She sought help online on how to better care for the dog, and her story lies below.

The OP writes

His mom and sister got into a huge fight and basically kicked him out

The OP gave him a bath, dried his hair with her blow dryer, and swaddled him until he was dry

The OP doesn't think he's doing the right thing by this animal

It hurts the OP that the dog seems to have been conditioned this way

The OP leaves a summary behind

My friend has what seems like a neglected if not abused dog and I don't know the right way to handle this situation.

And the comments from other Redditors roll in...

Helping to take a load off someone's shoulders

They would know the best course of action

Getting some nature's miracle

The OP doesn't think that she's wrong

These are all common behaviors for dogs

Offering to adopt the dog

It's not always easy to adopt a dog who has experienced abuse or neglect. The dog can still be coping with emotional trauma from the past, even though your new companion is safe at this point so it's important to dedicate enough time to make them feel loved again.

Redditors said that if the guy's family had any compassion for the dog, they would have kept it in the house and prevented it from being homeless. So it's likely that they are to blame for the dog's appearance of maltreatment and shyness among humans.

Maryjane