‘Little Bear’ sleeping in parking lot Begging people to take him home
Earlier this month, Deanna Tsosie received a heartbreaking call from a fellow community member on the Navajo Reservation. The devoted dog rescuer is used to people reaching out to her about pups in need, but this call was particularly devastating.
The Good Samaritan reported seeing a little black puppy sleeping by himself in an Ace Hardware store parking lot, and he was far too young to be alone.
“He is about 4–5 weeks old,” Tsosie wrote on Instagram. “He was supposedly dumped off there …”
Tsosie rushed to the hardware store, where she instantly spotted the little guy sheltering next to a parked car. As she went to greet him, the scared puppy bolted under the car, taking shelter behind one of its wheels.
But Tsosie knew just what to do to earn the baby’s trust. She showered him with words of encouragement, which soon lured the little one out of his hiding place.
As the rescuer scooped the pup, later named Ace, into her arms, she looked around for signs of his family. Ace was young enough to still be nursing, but, sadly, Tsosie couldn’t locate his mom or littermates.
Still, she was determined to give Ace the life he deserved. She reached out to AZ Hidden Jem Rescue (HJR) in Phoenix, Arizona, who agreed to care for the puppy.
“When we saw the first video … we fell in love!” HJR wrote on Instagram. “He looked like a little bear and [was] just confused!”
HJR picked him up shortly later that day and drove him straight to the vet clinic. Sadly, the veterinary team quickly discovered that Ace was battling mange, a skin disease caused by mites. But his mange was treatable, and the little guy was healthy otherwise.
It didn’t take long for HJR to find the perfect foster home for Ace, where he still is today. The resilient little guy is still undergoing treatment for mange, but he is in the best spirits. And he’s loving every minute of his new life.
“He has been doing amazing!” HJR wrote. “He loves attention! He just wants to be close to someone and playing!”
Ace now spends his days playing with his foster siblings, who include a litter of kittens. He’s still working on growing and healing, but in just a few weeks, he’ll be ready to go to his forever home.
HJR can’t wait to see Ace thrive with his permanent family, but as of now, they’re overjoyed that he can finally be a puppy again.
“He is truly a special little boy,” HJR told The Dodo.
