Diesel is 14 years old and completely blind. He has spent his entire life hanging from a heavy metal chain. Ever since he was a puppy, Diesel has lived outdoors, never knowing what it was like to spend time lounging on a warm couch with a family who loved him.
When Zoe Kharasch, founder of Newman Nation: Senior Pets United, heard about Diesel’s plight, she knew immediately that she had to try to help him. Every dog deserves the chance to be loved, and Diesel had been waiting for that chance for a long time. He had been chained up during extreme heat, snowstorms, and even a tornado. It was time for Diesel to finally get to know life without chains.
“When I first expressed my commitment to rescue him, I was met with a lot of skepticism, even from my friends,” Kharasch told The Dodo. “People said he would never adapt to living in an enclosed space, that he should remain chained wherever he felt ‘comfortable,’ and even that he should simply be euthanized.”
Despite everyone else’s misgivings, Kharasch sent a volunteer to go find Diesel. From the moment the woman met him until they drove him away in their car, Diesel was a dream come true. He was so grateful to finally be free of the heavy chain and wanted nothing more than to play with everyone around him and be loved.
“He was VERY excited,” Kharasch told The Dodo. “The only thing he had with him the entire trip was an old, battered, muddy tennis ball. His tail wouldn’t stop wagging for a second and all he wanted was for someone to play catch with him. He had no problem getting into the car and sat in the back with the woman’s kids, who rubbed his belly the entire trip.”
The “rescue” that claimed to be helping Diesel has since been shut down due to neglect and other issues, according to Kharasch.
Diesel was immediately placed into a foster home and as soon as he arrived, he jumped onto the couch and stretched out comfortably for the first time in his life. He felt right at home right away and no one could believe how well he adapted to his foster family from the start. He had been waiting his entire life to finally have a loving family and it seemed like sweet Diesel wasn’t going to take even a second of that for granted.
“He spent Christmas with a family for the first time in his life and a lot of Diesel fans sent him Christmas presents,” Kharasch said. “My favorite story from his foster mom was how she came home to find the Christmas tree knocked over and him running around the house with ornaments in his mouth.”
“We learned very quickly that his lack of vision is not holding him back,” Kharasch said. “He’s making up for a lifetime of not being able to be a real dog and has the energy of a puppy. He loves everyone he meets and has no problem living with LOTS of other dogs and cats in his foster home. He entertains himself and happily plays with his toys for hours.”
Diesel would fit in very well with any family willing to adopt him. He loves dogs, cats, and kids, and would love a home where he can run and play with everyone constantly. His favorite things in the world are tennis balls, and his foster mom was able to get local businesses to donate hundreds of them to him. Diesel was alone for so long that all he really needs now is a loving family.
“Diesel is a true testament to the good nature of dogs and how easily they forgive,” Kharasch said.