Rescue Dog Goes On 'Healing Journey' And His Safe Place Will Make You Emotional
Not every dog is lucky enough to be born into a home where nutritious food, clean water, warm blankets, loving owners, and an abundance of snuggles are the norm. For a little dog now named Captain, life was tough, and the world seemed like a scary place. When Alli and Nick found the frightened dog, he was cowering under a car. Even after they rescued him, he kept returning to what he clearly viewed as a safe space.
"The only place he felt comfort was underneath our truck. He would spend all day lying under there," Alli told The Dodo in a video on YouTube that has been viewed more than 319,000 times. "He was missing half of his hair. We knew that he had been through so much in his life, and so we wanted to start his healing journey right away."
After a few days of no progress, Alli decided to meet the scared little dog exactly where he was. She joined him under the truck. That evening, he emerged from beneath the truck and joyfully crawled toward Alli on the beach. "That moment, he was finding the joy of being a dog," she said. "I decided to name him Captain because he was the captain of his own ship." One viewer of the video commented, "I think he's also the captain of your heart. He won me over!"
Adopting a traumatized dog
Caring for a traumatized animal requires endless patience, gentleness, and love, along with a predictable routine and lots of tasty treats. You need to provide the animal with a safe space to retreat to, such as a cozy dog bed in a quiet room. As the animal's caregiver, you may witness firsthand the signs of an abused dog, including hiding, aggression, and separation anxiety. However, it's worth it in the end. As one viewer of The Dodo's video wrote, "There's always that moment...that tipping point breakthrough, that they never return to the way they were. Each one is different. Just keep loving on them. Let them come out at their own pace. The rewards are endless."
Many viewers thanked Alli and Nick for rescuing Captain and other needy animals. "I take care of 19 stray cats in Philly, and this brought tears to my eyes because there's so many dogs and cats, puppies, and kittens in this country and not enough loving and compassionate people to help," one person wrote. Another commented, "It's amazing what a soft hand, some food, a dry place to sleep, and a little bit of love will do for a dog. They don't require much, but they give so much in return."
Want to read more heartwarming stories about dogs given a second chance? Check out this deaf rescue dog living his best life after learning sign language, and this senior dog who was rescued after six years in a shelter.