Pets love to be petted and taken care of by their owners. But for this Border Collie who used to have a difficult start to life, being petted seemed just a dream.
The dog, previously known as Kong, spent one year living in neglect in a shelter in Claremore, Oklahoma.
When the staff at Border Collie Rescue & Rehab (Texas) found him, he looked devastated with his body skin being sunburnt and the majority of his fur falling out in places. People later discovered that Kong suffered from a severe skin disease that left him completely untouched.
Taken by Border Collie Rescue & Rehab and spending months recovering, Kong was labeled the number #387 on the rescue’s website.
But true love really comes for no reason, like how Curtis Hartsell didn’t need a name to fall for the white dog with a friendly smile. Although he worried that his busy schedule might not allow him to take care of the dog, the man still followed his heart and submitted the application form.
“I looked through his profile and just immediately fell in love with his single picture and the description they put on the page,” he told The Dodo. “His foster mom described his temperament and personality and I described my life to her a bit and she said we sounded perfect for each other.”
After a thorough process of interviews and home visits, the two were able to wait for the day they could finally meet, marking an emotional moment.
Kong was renamed ZIB as his new owner would like to make a fresh start for him. Seeing the dog for the first time, Hartsell felt as if they had really known each other before. ZIB cuddled the new dad in happiness and excitement, and that moment made people who witnessed it burst into tears.
“I was handed his leash … I got down in front of him and gave him his new name and asked if he wanted to come home with me,” Hartsell recounted. “‘ZIB, I’m going to call you ZIB. Do you like that? How would you like to come home with me, ZIB?’ He was sitting in front of me, looked into my eyes, and then hugged me and bowed his head. It was adorable; I’ll never forget that moment.”
“I cannot even begin to describe how much happier and fulfilled I feel. It’s great knowing that this poor dog was formerly abandoned and all he needed was to be loved — and that I get to offer him that love every day now,” the man added.
We are happy for ZIB, the pup who was once in so much pain he couldn’t stand to be petted now can’t get enough cuddles and touches.
