'Broken' Pup Cannot Stop Smiling When He Realizes He's Being Rescued

Oct 10, 2019 by apost team

Sanford the dog is known for his beaming smile, but things weren’t always so rosy for the happy pooch. When animal control officers found Sanford, he was in rough shape. The poor dog had been hit by a car and had a bullet wound in his right back leg.

Unable to walk, rescuers brought Sanford to a municipal shelter in Dallas, Texas. Low on resources, staff at the shelter made Sanford as comfortable as possible but couldn’t get him any veterinary care for a full week.

Things took a turn for the better for Sanford when a volunteer with Dallas DogRRR spotted him in the shelter. Speaking with The Dodo, Kerry Anechiarico, executive director of Dallas DogRRR, said that the volunteer was saddened by Sanford’s plight. The big guy wouldn’t even acknowledge anyone entering his cage. Physically broken, by all accounts, it seemed as if Sanford was just waiting for his time to die. The rescue group made sure that Sanford got all the necessary medical treatments before placing him in the foster home of Karen Velazquez.

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Upon entering her home, Karen saw a discernible change in Sanford’s temperament. In her own interview with The Dodo, Karen said that she has fostered 52 dogs and Sanford is by far the happiest animal she has ever met saying “Essentially, the only time he is not smiling is when he is asleep or eating."

Sanford, or “Sanfee” as Karen calls him, knew upon entering his new foster home that he was in a safe place, smiling and playing with Karen’s other dogs all day every day. Sanford also lives in the lap of luxury as his meals are all home cooked by Karen.

Karen’s vet estimates that Sanford is about ten years old, which is considered a senior for dogs. Despite his advanced age, Karen says that Sanford doesn’t show any sign of slowing down. Kerry adds by comparing Sanford to a 95-year-old man in a nursing home who still shows the energy and charisma of someone half his age. Although Karen, Kerry, and the other animal rescuers are pleased with Sanford’s progress, their end goal is to find him a forever home. Kerry says that Sanford is the perfect family dog, getting along great with kids and other animals. Continuing, Kerry says that anyone would be happy to see Sanford’s smiling face and wagging tail when they come home each day.

Those interested in adopting Sanford can reach out at DallasDogRRR.org.

What do you think of Sanford’s story? Have you ever cared for a foster dog or cat?