On November 22, 2o20, a puppy named Max was abandoned by his owner on a park bench. He was tied down so he couldn’t move much, forced to watch the world pass by him, unwanted – and without food or water. But that’s before someone read the note weighed down by a rock attached to his leash.
The dog didn’t understand why any of this was happening, only that he couldn’t move, and he knew he didn’t like the position he was in. He snarled at anyone who tried to come near him.
He was clearly in psychological distress.
Not the first time
Pets are the first thing that has to go when families fall into poverty.
Of course, there’s a right way to do it. But in Coyoacán, Mexico, where Max was abandoned, at least one of his owners must have felt like there weren’t as many choices.
Hoy, domingo 22 de noviembre, recibimos el reporte de este perrito, abandonado en una banca en un camellón, con una nota que pedía que lo adoptaran ya que sufre maltrato. Acudimos cuanto antes para resguardarlo. pic.twitter.com/tSKkay6N9G
— Mascotas Coyoacán 🐾 (@MascotaCoyoacan) November 22, 2020
It didn’t take long for people in the park (where he was left intentionally so that some good-natured soul would help him, no doubt) to call for help. They called on Marcela Goldberg and fellow rescuer Azul Galindo.
Meanwhile, people did what they could.
“There were already several neighbors gathered who had brought him water and food because they left him tied to the bench with nothing,” Goldberg told The Dodo. “But they could not get close because the puppy was terrified, growling and snipping.”
Goldberg also wasn’t surprised to be called out to another such scene. Since the COVID pandemic, many dogs had been tragically abandoned by families who could not afford to feed them and hoped that someone else could.
A heartbreaking admission
Unless you’ve had to make the terrible choice between feeding yourself (or your children) and your dog long-term, it’s hard to understand how someone could do this. But it’s been happening around the world – the U.S. included. The COVID pandemic has made it worse.
But next to the golden retriever mix lay a note that explained just how hard this decision had been and how much one of Max’s loved ones desperately wanted him to be cared for. It also hinted at why he wasn’t so keen on strangers.
The note read:
“Hi, please adopt me: Max. Please, I ask that you adopt this cute dog and you take good care of him. It hurts a lot to leave my dog here but I made the decision of leaving him because my family used to mistreat him and it would always hurt me to see him in that condition. If you’re reading this and your heart wavers, please adopt him and take good care of him. If not, please leave this note in its place. That way others can read it and adopt him. Thank you.”
If this were all a Disney movie, Max would go on to live happily ever after. And perhaps he will. But first, the rescuers needed to get him checked out, find out a bit more about his demeanor, and make sure he could find a permanent home where he wouldn’t have stability for the rest of his life.
Meeting Max, then Boston
The dog was very afraid when the rescuers approached him and wouldn’t even relax when they tried to distract him with food. He was on high alert.
Alas, it was technology that saved that day, in a way:
“We contacted a trainer with experience in aggressive dogs who watched the situation by video call and gave me instructions until we managed to pass the loop [over his head] and cut the other chain,” Goldberg said.
The ability to speak to an expert and have them observe the scene meant everything. Because as soon as Max’s chain was cut, he calmed down quite a bit.
On November 22, the rescue organization Mascotas Coyoacán (where Goldberg takes in unwanted pets) posted some good news on Facebook with a photo of the newly-named “Boston”:
”
“With patience, sausage and love, the beast became a beautiful puppy recharging while laying on my hand and body and sitting next to me.
He will no longer be called Max, as his name appears in the note, because he awaits a new life without any trace of his past life of abuse and neglect. Now it will be Boston, which is the name we chose for the pit they abandoned in an apartment and eventually returned to with its owner.
From this moment on, there will only be love in Boston’s life.”
They also made a plea for both a temporary place for him to stay as a foster or a possible permanent home. Goldberg already had a cat named Nina to care for and just couldn’t take in another. (Nina also doesn’t look keen on sharing her space.)
Although Boston DID like to help with chores!
But a suitable foster appears to have alluded Boston at first (perhaps because no one felt comfortable taking in a dog who had already shown some violent tendencies, or perhaps because no one else had the resources).
Luckily, Boston was a loving boy and they had the ability to post lots of videos of him being a regular dog – and even going to a nice walk!
Boston les desea buen viernes.
(Gracias, Carlos) pic.twitter.com/uw2l9UaL2u
— Mascotas Coyoacán 🐾 (@MascotaCoyoacan) November 27, 2020
And he was happy to have some friends to play with while he waited for his forever home.
Love takes time
The search for a more permanent home is now going well thanks to international attention to Boston’s story (it obviously helps when you’re so cute).
By November 28, the “problem” was sorting through all of the potential new homes for this good boy.
Boston, hoy pic.twitter.com/nO7EbIC1To
— Mascotas Coyoacán 🐾 (@MascotaCoyoacan) November 28, 2020
Be sure to scroll down below to see two videos of Boston – one from his rescue and the other chilling with his rescuer.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
Max estaba muy asustado y hubo que acercarse con cautela para poder llevárselo. pic.twitter.com/HU7uDv4yjZ
— Mascotas Coyoacán 🐾 (@MascotaCoyoacan) November 22, 2020
