Isn’t it amazing how some dogs, despite facing hardship and heartbreak, still choose love every single day?
Take Pongo, for example. It’s hard to count how many times he’s watched fellow shelter dogs leave with their new families while he stayed behind, unnoticed. And yet, he greets each new day with a wagging tail and a heart full of love for everyone he meets.
Everything Pongo does: his joyful zoomies, friendly kisses, polite leash walks, and lap snuggles, is driven by the hope that maybe today will be the day his perfect person walks through the door.
A Gentle Soul Through And Through
Pongo’s shelter life hasn’t been easy, but what led him there was even more heartbreaking.
Before coming to Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley in Pennsylvania, Pongo spent days alone in an abandoned house after his owner left him behind. He waited patiently, hoping they’d return, surviving with almost nothing.
Luckily, the landlord eventually found Pongo and brought him to the shelter, and from that moment on, his new journey began.
Since arriving, Pongo has shown nothing but pure sweetness. His affectionate, playful nature has made it hard for many to believe he’s a Pittie at all. He defies every stereotype.
Among all his admirers at the shelter, there’s one person who holds a special place in his heart — his favorite volunteer, Danielle. She spotted him in the play yard one day and instantly fell in love with his personality. Since then, the two have formed a bond that’s impossible to miss.
“Pongo, he has never met a stranger, he has never met a person or animal that he did not like. He is just the sweetest, friendliest, most loving, and breaks every stereotype about the Pitbull breed,” Danielle told Cuddle Buddies.
Danielle makes it a point to take Pongo out as often as she can, giving him a break from kennel life and a glimpse of what a real home could be. It breaks her heart that he keeps getting passed over, so she’s doing everything she can to show the world who Pongo really is outside those four walls.
“Pongo HATES kennel life. He LOVES the real world and he knows it’s out there and he’s tired of living life without an active family to play with him,” Danielle wrote on her Facebook.
Still Waiting For That Special Someone
Pongo is more than ready for a home of his own. While he’s had a few adoption applications, none have worked out so far.
In the meantime, he continues training and spending quality time with Danielle. She believes Pongo would thrive in an energetic home—especially one with a dog sibling to keep him company.
“Pongo will do best in an active home and quite possibly a dog sibling to keep him entertained,” Danielle concludes in another post.
That’s who Pongo is at his core: a spirited, loving dog who just wants to run, play, and make friends with everyone he meets.
Danielle and the entire shelter team remain hopeful that the right family is just around the corner. After all the goodbyes he’s had to say to friends he’s bonded with, Pongo deserves his own forever home more than ever.