Our dogs are our family members who are deserving of infinite love and affection. They are our most loyal friends.

The fact that many owners dump their furry friends and leave them to fend for themselves makes me feel sad. The heartless owners don’t have any empathy for their adorable pooches.

Not realizing that they’ll never come back, faithful dogs never stop waiting for their family. As time goes by, their hope starts fading, and yet they continue waiting.

Our following story is about Thunder… one of those abandoned and loyal dogs who refused to leave the place where he saw his owner for the last time.

Unwavering Hope To His Family Again

Thunder was lying by the fire hydrant where he was dumped in the summer of 2022, hoping that his owner would come back for him. Neighbors noticed the faithful dog who was waiting day after day.

After they failed to catch him, they decided to call Suzette Hall, an experienced rescuer and founder of Logan’s Legacy, located in Irvine, California.

Hall brought all her equipment and arrived at the scene right away. The pooch was too scared to accept her help. He didn’t trust humans anymore.

Hall’s heart sank every time she saw the dog crossing the busy street, as if he was looking for someone. After a while, he would return and sit by the fire hydrant again.

The pooch was very thirsty, and he quickly drank the water Hall gave him.

She set up a trap with some snacks, and waited. Thunder was hesitant. He would circle around the crate, then he would go back to his spot.

Hours passed and the day turned into night. Hall stayed with Thunder. She was determined to rescue him that night.

She bought a couple of hot dogs and used them as bait. She knew that the pup would have a hard time resisting them. And, she was right!

“I drove down the street to make him think I [wasn’t] there anymore and when I came back, he was finally in the trap. Hotdogs did the trick,” Hall said.

Thunder Has Been Rescued

Source: Suzette Hall

The rescuer was thrilled that Thunder was finally safe, but the pooch was sad, and he wished to go back to the fire hydrant. His heart was still filled with hope that his owner would come back for him.

“The little bit of love he got from his family, he remembered. I just think he didn’t want to leave in case they came back,” Hall said.

Hall rescued Thunder just in time. As soon as they were in her car, the area was hit with one of the strongest storms they had in years.

Had they stayed five minutes longer outside, both the rescuer and pooch would have been caught in a thunderstorm.

“We named him Thunder because we had the worst thunderstorm after I drove away. It was so scary,” Hall said.

She took Thunder to the vet. After he received all the care he needed, the lovely pup was ready to go to foster care.

Alix Smith, the founder of Second Leash On Life, a non-profit organization, offered to help and foster Thunder. She welcomed him into her home in San Diego, California.

She took excellent care of Thunder, giving him all her love. Gradually, the pup started trusting people again. He felt loved and ready to search for his forever family.

Happy Ending

In August 2022, Suzette Hall shared that Thunder got adopted and that he moved to his forever home on the East Coast.

The doggo was very excited to take the trip and meet his parents. During the journey, he had a big smile on his face.

When he arrived at his home, there was a beautiful double rainbow in the sky that marked the beginning of a new life for Thunder.

The day when the pooch hugged his forever parents for the first time was the happiest day of his life. His family adores him. One of Thunder’s favorite activities is going for a boat ride with his family.

I feel overjoyed knowing that Thunder is living his best life surrounded by his family who showers him with love.

Whenever you notice stray pups, please notify the local shelters or rescues. All canines deserve to be cared for and to have a roof over their heads. Let’s help them get their happy ending.