A golden retriever mix, left all by himself, had taken to living in a Walmart parking lot located in rural Georgia. Even though his owners were fully aware of where he was from locals told them on more than one occasion, they said they had no desire to have him back. The dog was covered in fleas, his fur matted, but above all else, he looked sad. He was later named Clarence.
This poor pooch was in need of love and affection when a group of caring rescuers finally picked him up. What other behaviors did they notice? Clarence appeared to never stop hugging the people he met.
The locals contacted Hounds in Pounds, an organization whose mission is to save the lives of dogs across the United States that have been abandoned or unwanted. They were specifically alerted about a German shepherd that had recently been hit by a car and left for dead in a Walmart parking lot ditch. Remarkably, this dog survived and quickly became friends with Clarence.
“We had been receiving reports that Clarence and the German shepherd were seen together frequently, so we sent someone back to check if he was still there after we got the dog to safety,” said Cat Suzuki, The Epoch Times.
Clarence had been taken to an animal control shelter when they contacted Cat and asked if she wanted him. Cat explained that of course, they agreed to take him in.
They named him Clarence, and Cat observed that he very quickly bonded with people. He was also “very sweet.” His fur was matted and flea-ridden; although he had a lot of hair, he was actually quite thin under all the fluff.
Clarence was approximately 5 years old and in good health, but he badly needed companionship after being neglected. This was evident to everyone who saw him.
“Clarence needed the standard cat procedures like neutering and vetting,” said Cat. “But I think what really affected him was the emotional weight of loneliness. He’s very attached to humans, so you could easily tell how much it bothered him.”
In addition to the standard vetting and deworming, he also needed help for his Mental health issues. “You could see he was sad,” Cat added.
Even though he faced difficult obstacles, Clarence’s kind personality shined through. He quickly became attached to his new carers at Hounds in Pounds. In fact, he becomes well-known for his most endearing display of affection: hugging people with his paw.
“He’s such a people pleaser,” said Cat. “Just look at how he greets everyone by rubbing up against them. He just wants to be loved.”
The rescue has since contacted Clarence’s owners and they unfortunately don’t want him back. Cat explained that some dogs take to shelter life better than others, but poor Clarence was so lonely that he “didn’t want to be left again.”
The gorgeous pup is still waiting for their fur-ever home, but they’re hoping to find a family in either New York or New Jersey. Cat clarified that he would be an incredibly loyal and loving friend to whoever chooses to adopt him.
“Wherever you go, he wants to be right next to you,” she added. “For example, if you’re cooking dinner, he’ll sit with you in the kitchen. If you’re watching TV or working on your computer, he’ll plop down beside
you.”
“All he wants is to be loved and have a family of his own.”