Sometimes, dogs are abandoned without cause and left helpless, far from anyone who might lend a hand.
But in other cases, people face difficult situations, do all they can, and when nothing works, leave their dog behind as a last resort.
This story is about an Arizona owner who left his dog in a park and included a heartbreaking message for whoever found him.
Baloo Was A Clever Pup
When Baloo was left behind, he was a 1-year-old pup who had only begun discovering the world around him.
Luckily, a woman named Lillian Engelhard came across him in an Arizona park and stepped in.
She wasn’t sure if the dog had someone nearby, but she felt she needed to act.
She told The Dodo: I was out taking one of my dogs for a walk, and we passed a community dog run with a dog in it but no owners in sight.
I thought maybe they ran out of doggie bags and quickly ran to their car to get more, or maybe his owners really did have an emergency of some sort.
Engelhard waited in her car to see if anyone would return for Baloo, but no one did.
She had a feeling he had been out there for a while, as he seemed thirsty, hungry, and was pacing nonstop.
Baloo Enjoys Learning Every Day
It was now her responsibility to help. She approached him, and he lit up at the sight of a new person.
He happily walked toward her, and that’s when she noticed he had a note attached to him.
The note said: It read, “This dog is not trained!!! *I had to leave him. Please save him (Venom).
Based on his friendly demeanor, it was clear to her that he was a dog who had known love and enjoyed human company.
Still, Baloo’s high energy required some training so he could stay focused.
Engelhard was proud of how much he had progressed in just a few days. He could now sit, lie down, stay, and was even potty trained.
After fostering him, she registered him for adoption through Lost Our Home Pet Rescue.
Though we don’t know if he was adopted yet, it’s safe to say he’s being cared for and continues to thrive as he learns more each day.