When animal control picked up a disheveled, matted dog off the streets, it was obvious she wasn’t just any stray—this was a dog who had once belonged to a loving home. Despite appearing loud and unruly outside, the moment the leash was secured around her neck, the brown dog with a graying muzzle, named Coco, settled down immediately. She sat quietly as if she knew her journey was about to change. Coco was brought to the City of San Antonio Animal Care Services and quickly won the hearts of everyone she met.
Her gentle and well-mannered demeanor made an impression on the staff. “An education team member spotted her face on a report and thought, ‘This dog belongs to someone. She’s missing her family, and they must be missing her,’” shared Lisa Norwood, the shelter’s public relations manager, with The Dodo.
During a visit to Coco’s kennel, that same staff member was struck by how calm and polite Coco was. Sitting with her tail wagging, Coco seemed to understand the kind words spoken to her: “Your family is coming. They’re coming for you.” Moved by her story, the shelter shared a photo of the 10-year-old dog on their website, hoping someone would recognize her.
It didn’t take long. Just a few days later, Ms. G, who had been tirelessly searching for her lost dog, stumbled upon Coco’s picture. Seven months had passed since Coco had disappeared in April. The dog was her brother’s but Ms. G had taken over Coco’s care. When the dog went missing, she feared the worst, but her heart never lost hope.
“She and her family had searched their neighborhood for months,” Norwood explained. “It turns out Coco had crossed a busy highway and ended up in another neighborhood miles away.”
The moment Ms. G saw Coco’s photo, she rushed to the shelter. What followed was an emotional reunion that left everyone in tears. “From her office near the lobby, the same staffer heard a woman calling, ‘Coco! Coco!’” Norwood said. When Coco saw Ms. G, she leapt with excitement, her tail wagging furiously. There were kisses, tears, and hugs as the pair reunited.
A man couldn’t afford to pay for the surgery his dog desperately needed, so he decided to improvise and do it himself. In a shocking case of animal cruelty, the man admitted to applying tooth-numbing gel to his dog’s leg and then amputating it.
The shelter updated Coco’s microchip information, ensuring she was linked to Ms. G instead of her previous owner. Wrapping her paws around her mom’s leg, Coco made it clear—she was finally home, and she wasn’t going anywhere.
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H/T The Dodo
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