People say good things come to those who wait—but is that always true?
For Rocky, an eight-year-old dog, waiting felt endless. His life had been full of heartbreak, and now, with no one coming to his aid, he faced euthanasia.
Still, he kept sitting by the shelter door—hoping someone might finally notice him before it was too late.
A Life On The Line
In February 2024, the TikTok account ‘Shelter Dogs of AZ’ shared a heartbreaking video of Rocky, a black-and-white pup who waited by the shelter door every day—hoping for someone to walk in and save him.
But no one did.
Rocky had no luck with people. His first owner tried to sell him on Facebook Marketplace. His second owner surrendered him to a shelter in Arizona.
Emotionally, he was broken.
After arriving at Maricopa County Animal Care & Control in Phoenix, Rocky became increasingly distressed.
He began harming himself in the kennel, developing anxiety, escape behaviors, and reactivity to other dogs.
Katie Gerlach, who filmed his story, told Newsweek: “Per shelter policies, Rocky was given a five-day deadline.”
If no one stepped forward in that time, he would be euthanized. Katie turned to social media in a desperate bid to save him.
A Last-Minute Lifeline
“The shelter has changed Rocky’s status… He can ONLY be saved by a New Hope rescue,” Gerlach shared in an Instagram post.
New Hope rescues step in for dogs with severe behavioral or medical needs—cases too complex for public adoption.
Rocky needed a miracle. He needed someone experienced, someone who wouldn’t give up on him.
Days passed. He kept waiting. And just when all hope seemed lost…
A local group called Rescue Street stepped up. They saved Rocky’s life.
Against the odds, his story took a hopeful turn. Someone finally saw the good in him—and gave him the chance he had waited so long for.
Rocky is now safe and boarding. Soon, he’ll be in a home filled with the love he’s always deserved.
For now, he’s alive, he’s safe—and he’s no longer waiting by the door.