Zaina Ateyea, a photographer and animal lover from Texas, was surprised when her dad woke her up one morning to tell her that there was an abandoned pup in their yard.
Ateyea took some food and water and ran outside to meet the dog.
The pup was malnourished. Since she was distrustful of Ateyea, she kept her distance. Her tail was tucked behind her legs. She was afraid.
The kind-hearted woman made it her mission to help her. She sat in the grass and talked to her, hoping that she would win her heart.
Winning The Dog’s Heart
Seeing how invested Ateyea was in rescuing the dog, her dad reminded her not to get attached to her and bring her home. They already had two dogs and a cat.
“My dad went to go take my dogs for a walk and looked at me and was like, ‘Whatever you do, do NOT take her home.’ And I said, ‘You’re the one who mentioned her to me and told me to come help.’ So whatever happens happens,” Ateyea said on TikTok.
After spending some time sitting in the grass, Ateyea moved the food and water closer to the pup. She hoped that the dog, later named Muffin, would soon start trusting her.
Later on, Muffin got scared and ran from the family’s yard. Luckily, she didn’t wander off far, and Ateyea watched over her.
When she saw that Muffin was running close to her several times, Ateyea knew that the dog was starting to get used to her presence.
Four hours into the rescue mission, Muffin understood that she wouldn’t hurt her, so she lay down behind her rescuer.
Ateyea was thrilled because Muffin felt comfortable around her.
She managed to lure her into their yard. Since she didn’t want to spook her again, she sat with her for two hours until she stroked Muffin for the first time.
Once she secured the pup, Ateyea started looking for a great family who could adopt Muffin and love her like she deserved.
Muffin Is Looking For A Permanent Home
Muffin was a wonderful and sweet dog. Ateyea wished she could keep her, but she couldn’t because she already had two dogs at home.
Her neighbor had a scanner, so she checked whether Muffin had a microchip. Once Ateyea realized that the pup didn’t have a microchip, she was convinced that someone had dumped her in her neighborhood.
The kind woman decided to foster Muffin until she found her a home. She gave her a bath and bought her toys. The pup also went to see the vet.
Ateyea gave a lot of love to Muffin, and the pup felt comfortable and started showing her affectionate disposition. She enjoyed cuddling with her rescuer.
She even made friends with her foster brother, Ollie, who sometimes gets overwhelmed around other dogs but loves spending time with Muffin.
The pup is doing wonderful in her foster home, where she will stay until she finds her forever humans.
Thank you, Zaina Ateyea, for being so patient with Muffin and for not giving up on her. Because of you, she will have a chance to be happy.