Roscoe, like all strays, had a backstory to him.
The Washington County-Johnson City Animal Shelter took the dog in and cared for him, waiting for six months until Roscoe started to show his true personality.
See, Roscoe was a really sad dog. And no one knew why then.
“The entire time he was here he was very timid, very reserved … it was like he didn’t have a personality,” Tammy Davis, the shelter’s director, said. “He wasn’t acting like a dog.”
The shelter’s staff knew they had to do something for Roscoe.
“He didn’t want to be comforted by us, he didn’t want to be touched — it was like he was kind of just existing,” Davis said. “There was no emotion or excitement no matter what we did.”
They tried everything to get the dog to open up but Roscoe refused. It was like he just existed and didn’t care.
Until a Facebook post came to the dog’s rescue.
“We all cared about him and we were just trying to work with him and make him more comfortable,” said Davis. “Because of COVID, we use our social media more than we used to and we thought, ‘What the heck? Even though he’s not the most outgoing dog, and it may be hard to find him somewhere, we’re going to post him and we’re just going to be honest.’”
When the shelter’s post went live, a response came through saying: “I think that’s my dog and he’s been missing for three years.”
Naturally, the staff wanted to be sure of the man’s identity. They did notice pictures of a dog that looked like Roscoe, so they went ahead and set up a meeting with the man.
“The rest of us backed away and let the gentleman in there with Roscoe and it was just amazing,” Davis said. “It was like something clicked and he was like, ‘This is my person, my daddy.’”
And it was Roscoe’s dad!
The tearful reunion had the shelter staff sighing in relief. And everyone was glad that it all worked out for Roscoe.
“In the six months the dog was here I’d never seen him wag his tail, never seen the dog jump up, and we were never able to love on him,” Davis said. “So it was obvious that this was his owner, it just took him a few minutes to realize who it was, and then he knew instantly.”
That was three long years. Surely anyone would have been worried sick. It really was a happy ending for everyone involved.
Not all strays are so lucky. Each one has a unique story, often more heartbreaking than the last. So even if you can’t take a stray in, at least give it some food before you walk away.
And remember, three years is a very long time for a dog. We’re just glad Roscoe and his dad are together again.
Watch the video below to see Roscoe and his dad reunited!
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Source: Animal Channel, Brenda Fielden