In a sorrowful moment captured by a staff member at Maricopa County Animal Shelter in Phoenix, Wall-E, a mixed-breed Labrador, was abandoned by his family with garbage bags full of his belongings.
The sight of the tearful family leaving their beloved pet behind was heart-wrenching.
As days passed, Wall-E’s hopes of finding a new home dwindled as he was rejected time and again by potential adopters.
The shelter staff saw the sadness in his eyes and knew they had to act fast.
Despite his past, Wall-E was a loyal and loving dog, always wagging his tail and seeking affection.
The staff knew he deserved a second chance and worked tirelessly to find him a forever home.
Returned to the shelter
Wall-E was surrendered to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control in Arizona, where he was adopted in 2015.
His former owners left him with all his toys and his bed. It’s not hard to imagine how confused, sad and scared Wall-E must have felt.
Not only was he no longer at home with the people he knew and loved, but those same people brought him back to a place that Wall-E would never forget.
Despite the sadness of the situation and the fact that his former owners could no longer care for him, a glimmer of hope and happiness comes from the fact that they at least cared enough to make sure he had his bed and toys to give him comfort.
When Wall-E settled into the shelter, the staff at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control began to realize how special the little guy was.
He loved to play and was very affectionate and friendly, but potential buyers weren’t paying much attention to him despite his sweet personality.
Whether it was bad luck, the fact that he wasn’t the breed someone was looking for, or the fact that he wasn’t a puppy, Wall-E was stuck at the shelter for months, waiting and hoping that someone would give him a chance.
Lynn to the rescue
That chance came in the form of Lynn Lee, who saw a post on social media about Wall-E, and his story got her attention.
She already had a dog at home but believed she had room for one more.
She took her dog with her to the shelter to meet Wall-E to see how well they would get along.
Things went so well that Wall-E was adopted the day after having his photo and story posted online.
The good life
Wall-E is now the happy-go-lucky dog who loves to snuggle, sleep in the sun, and play in the dog park instead of staying in a cage, wondering what he did wrong and waiting for someone to notice him.
Wall-E’s story is a reminder that hope and happiness can be found even in the darkest of circumstances and that his story is similar to the stories of so many other cats and dogs in shelters nationwide.
Sadly, Wall-E’s former owners had to surrender him to the shelter, but the fact that they left him with his bed and toys shows that they still cared about him.
Not every cat or dog is lucky enough to have that or even to find a new forever home as quickly as Wall-E did.
Supporting shelters
Dogs and cats might not be perfect due to the emotional or physical scars of the past, but they have a lot of love to give, and adopting from a shelter is not only a kind and compassionate thing to do, but it brings joy and happiness into your own life as well.
Even if you’re not in a position to adopt from a shelter right now, there are ways you can still help, such as by volunteering, donating money or supplies, or spreading the word about adoptable pets in your area.
