Every dog needs a second chance.
These stray dogs were either abandoned because their owners couldn’t handle more dogs (as the case for puppies left on the streets) or because they couldn’t take care of them anymore. There are over 3 million dogs who enter shelters in a year.
Among that number, 18% of these strays are returned to their owners.
While 48% (almost half) are adopted, there are still 20% of them that are euthanized. There are also cases where the adopted dogs are returned to the shelter.
Clive was a dog that may not have survived if nobody had given him a second chance.
He kept sitting out the main door at Elmore Elementary School as if waiting for someone to save him. At that same spot, one of the school’s teachers, Caleb Schaffer, noticed the Labrador mix by the entrance as he squeezed himself in.
The thought of that sick and scared dog never left Caleb’s mind.
He noticed how the dog’s tail was thumping at the sight of him and knew that he was meant to do something for the poor guy. He checked on him after the bell rang but couldn’t find the dog there anymore.
The school security told him that the dog was untouchable.
He said that someone called animal control, but the black Lab ran away, and the officers couldn’t catch him.
Caleb saw Clive again the next day, still thumping his tail and happy to see him.
That’s when he truly started to notice Caleb’s condition. He saw how bad his skin was and was constantly scratching it. Caleb felt like the itch was torture on Clive because he kept whining. After school, he checked on him but couldn’t find Clive in that same spot.
Probably, the third time’s the charm for Caleb because Clive came to him the next day.
“I just walked back to my car, calling him, and he came. I was trying to lure him using tofu from my lunch; it was all I had! Finally, I just picked him up and put him in,” Caleb told The Dodo.
Unfortunately, Caleb’s apartment complex has a limit of two dogs per unit.
He already had two dogs in, so he tried to find a way to keep Clive safe. Good thing that the Harris County Animal Shelter accommodated them and gave the poor dog immediate care. He also started a GoFundMe page for Clive’s medical bills.
Time was of the essence because Clive might be euthanized if no one would adopt him.
Volunteers from the Lucky Lab Rescue and Adoption saw Caleb’s call for help, and they were able to save Clive. One luck came after the other as Justin and Kelli Blackburn fostered him. They fell in love with his personality.
Caleb still kept in contact with the couple for updates on Clive.
He was happy that he had a chance to save a dog and give it a chance at a better life. He kept on telling Clive’s story to his students to raise awareness about the situation of stray animals and animal shelters.
Check out Clive’s story in the video below!
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