20 Dogs Before and After Rescue from Different Kinds of Suffering

#13 Spinach

The narrative of spinach is a moving monument to the emotional depth of shelter animals and the relentless commitment of shelter volunteers. Arriving at the shelter as a one-eyed puppy at three months old, nobody could have imagined that this small soul would spend 432 long days waiting for his permanently home. The emotional toll was clear as days stretched into weeks and weeks into months: Spinach's spirit started to ebb and showed up as a decreased appetite. The volunteers at the shelter, though, insisted he shouldn't give up. Extremely committed, they would show him several bowls of food all day, experimenting with several strategies to appeal to him to eat and keep his strength. Their tenacity in maintaining his optimism in face of a long wait attested to the great dedication shelter employees must pay to their charges. Nearly a year and a half later, after what seemed like an eternity, Spinach's fortunes changed when an Oklahoma family saw past his physical difference and identified the loving companion inside. Though difficult, his narrative ends with the happy ending every shelter dog deserves, showing that tenacity and patience can result in great marriages.