Often, animals that suffer cruelty give up on life, believing there is no hope for them.
Upon arriving at a Texas shelter, Sanford was considered a “broken dog.” His right leg had been shot and he’d been run over.
Without looking at anyone, he stayed in the corner of the shelter.
Nevertheless, since being introduced to foster dogs by a foster mother, he’s never stopped smiling.
Foster mom Karen Velazquez says he’s the happiest dog she’s ever met.
“I am presently on my 52nd foster, and I can genuinely say that I’ve never had anyone as jovial as him,” Karen told The Dodo.
“He looks at me in a way that no other animal or human has ever looked at me, including my own pets. Essentially, the only time he is not smiling is when he is asleep or eating.”
Animal control officers discovered him at the side of the road after he was hit by a car and also had a bullet wound in his right hind leg.
A small shelter in Dallas took him in, but there weren’t enough resources to provide him with medical care.
One volunteer from local dog rescue group Dallas DogRRR spotted Sanford and immediately knew what to do.
“He was physically broken … and when the volunteer went to see him, he didn’t really make any effort to come and say hello,” Kerry Anechiarico, executive director of Dallas DogRRR, told The Dodo. “It’s almost like he had given up, and he was just waiting for his time to come.”
He was taken to Karen’s home after receiving the medical care he needed and became a different dog.
“He has been all smiles ever since,” she said. “I think the minute he came to my home, he realized he was in a safe place.”
As a result, Sanford, or ‘Sanfee’ as Karen calls him, eats home-cooked meals, walks every day, and plays with his new dog friends.
This 10-year-old dog has a lot of energy for his age and is now looking for a forever home.
“He’s like the older gentleman that you see in a nursing home. He may be 95 years old, but he acts like he’s in his 50s,” Kerry said.
“He’ll be a great family dog,” she added. “He’ll get along with other dogs and all humans. He even does well with kids.”
