A few months ago, a family in Southern California received an eviction notice. In the rush to pack and leave for their new home, they forgot someone very special: their senior dog.
“They literally drove off and left him behind,” Suzette Hall, founder of Logan’s Legacy dog rescue, told The Dodo. “And he waited for them to come back.”
The devastated dog, later named Fritter, had no idea where his family had gone. With no way to enter the house, he settled in the yard, surrounded by discarded boxes, and waited for his family’s return.
“Sometimes, he would wait in the middle of the street and look at every car,” Hall shared. “The neighbors would leave food and water, and he made a little bed for himself in a box.”
A Long Wait and a Lifeline
Neighbors did their best to care for him, but he remained distant, unwilling to trust anyone. When they learned the city planned to demolish the house, they reached out to Logan’s Legacy for help.
“I was so sad when I saw him,” Hall said. “He was so loyal. He really thought they were coming back.”
Hall set a humane trap, using high-value treats to lure Fritter in, but he resisted. As he had with the neighbors, he avoided Hall’s rescue efforts.
“He was really hard to catch, but we were able to get him cornered,” Hall explained. “When I got him into my trap, he was just shivering. He was so scared.”
A New Beginning for Fritter
With Fritter safely in her van, Hall reassured him on their ride to Camino Pet Hospital. By the time they arrived, Fritter was calm enough to accept Hall’s gentle hug.
“It felt so good when I finally got him out of the trap and held him,” Hall said. “I just told him that everything was going to be OK and that he would never, ever be left behind if anyone moved again.”
Hall showered Fritter with kisses before handing him off to the veterinary team. After a bath and some medicine, his whole demeanor changed.
“He’s so sweet now,” Hall said. “He knows that he’s rescued and safe. He’s smiling now.”
Fritter is still enjoying the love at Camino Pet Hospital and waiting for a foster or adoptive home.
“He has so much love to give and would make the perfect pet,” Hall said.
Until then, Hall and her team will keep reminding Fritter that he’s safe, loved, and will never have to sleep in a moving box again.