The 8-year-old dog’s family moved and left him behind. With nowhere to go, the dog, known as Larry, took up residence in the parking lot of a landscaping business across from his former home.
For months he lay on the ground, surviving thanks to the goodwill of passing truck drivers, who occasionally threw him something to eat or drink.
It was clear to the delivery driver that the dog’s family wasn’t coming back, so he created an Instagram profile for him.
That seemingly small act helped bring Larry’s story to the attention of Sasha Abelson, president of Love Leo Rescue, who reached out to local volunteers. “As soon as we saw [the posts] we said, ‘Bring us the dog, we’ll take care of the rest,’” Abelson told The Dodo.
The volunteers managed to coax Larry into their car and drove him two hours to Los Angeles.
They noticed that the old dog’s stomach was swollen, despite not having had regular access to food or water for months, he was missing tufts of hair on his paws and was having difficulty walking.
Although the dog looked sad, he still wagged his tail to call his rescuers.
A visit to the vet the next day revealed that Larry was suffering from Cushing’s disease, a condition caused by a benign tumor in the pituitary gland. Larry was sluggish, uncomfortable and cranky, but his rescuers didn’t give up hope that there was a sweet dog underneath all the pain.
Three times Larry has gone to a forever home and three times he has returned to the rescue thanks to a run of bad luck. “He’s been very resilient, he doesn’t hold a grudge and he still loves people even though they’ve let him down in the past,” Abelson said. “He’s just a happy, grateful dog. He just wants someone to take care of him and be there for him.”
Despite Larry’s age, he still has plenty of pep in his step and loves to go for walks. But what sets Larry apart from other dogs is his ability to forgive and heal, Abelson noted. “Some dogs have a bad experience or get abandoned and it scars them for the rest of their lives,” she said, “but with him, he’s so sweet that he needs someone to notice that.”
“He’s a little bit like a Cinderella looking for her slipper,” Abelson added. “We know they’re out there and we’re willing to wait for the perfect person.”