A dog that was too terrified to lift its head after years of abuse is now a happy, healthy, confident canine thanks to its new owners.
The German Shepard mix, now named Apollo, was once in the care of a San Antonio, Texas animal care facility, where he was pictured cowering in a corner with his head hung low. Staff at the facility said he appeared terrified of humans.
A couple took a chance on him, however, and helped him gain trust in humans again. Now he’s become the gentle, loving companion to their newborn baby.
The couple shared Apollo’s recovery with the National Dog News Examinerwith a photo of him looking happy and healthy.
‘Of course, we will never know exactly what living on the streets of San Antonio was like, or what his first owner did to him,’ the couple wrote. ‘We know that someone began to tattoo his underbelly in green. We know that he hates drainage ditches of all kinds.’
‘We know that one of his ears does not stand up due to either a dog fight or lack of essential nutrients and chewing in his early months. Shortly after we got him, we also found out he was distemper positive, and very much on the edge of losing his life.
‘When the vet met Apollo, she said he would never be a good family pet, that he was not properly socialized soon enough.
‘When he tested distemper positive, they told us we could leave him there at the vet, so they could keep him hydrated and as comfortable as possible. Yet by then, we knew he hated small cages.’
