What makes a dog look mean is just beyond my understanding. Yet, whenever people looked at Sully, a 5-month-old Pittie, they saw this “mean, aggressive bully,” leading them to avoid him at all costs.
All they really had to do was spend five minutes with him. That’s right! Five minutes is all it would have taken!
Still, Sully had to wait day after day in his smallest jail cell of a cage. He went to sleep every night, hoping that someone would eventually recognize how adorable he truly was.
Then, one day, that one special person appeared… and she changed his whole life!
He Struggled At The Shelter For Months
Source: @desertdogproject
Julia Correll, of Desert Dog Project, the rescue that helps shelter dogs in need of medical care and a foster home, saw Sully and immediately fell in love.
She volunteered at Maricopa County Animal Care & Control, Arizona, when Sully’s sorrowful appearance broke her heart. Formerly known as Gindo, he lived in a small kennel with severe arthritis that disabled him from walking properly.
He was picked up as a stray alongside his puppies and a female dog. Eventually, all of them got adopted into loving homes, leaving Sully all alone.
Due to his poor living conditions, he appeared to be much older than he really was.
“Gindo has been waiting over 3 months at the shelter… He has severe arthritis and struggles to walk even a few feet. He was found as a stray and is estimated to be about 5 but he appears much older. He is skinny and covered in sores and scabs,” Julia wrote in a Facebook post.
Source: @desertdogproject
Julia couldn’t understand why people found Sully so intimidating. He was the friendliest, most affectionate Pittie she had ever met, yet he couldn’t find a home.
“He is the most gentle, affectionate, loving dog. His favorite thing is sitting in your lap and rolling over for belly rubs. He isn’t fazed by anyone or anything. He is truly such a lover,” she added.
Inclined to give Sully a second chance at life, Julia decided to take him out on daily trips. The two would go to a park and spend the whole day there, lying on a blankie and soaking up all the beauty of the world.
Source: @desertdogproject
In no time, they created the most wonderful bond, which meant only one thing. Sully finally found his rescuer – and her name was Julia!
The Easiest Dog His Momma Ever Had
Source: @desertdogproject
Even though everything started out as a foster trial, it took Sully only a few months to convince his new momma to keep him forever.
He was just the easiest foster dog that she ever had. And despite the fact that it took him six months to adapt to house life, he knew just the perfect way to her heart.
“He is seriously the easiest foster dog I have ever had,” Julia wrote on Instagram.
Source: @desertdogproject
He got his very own stroller which he enjoyed so much. That way, he could accompany his hooman everywhere and not worry about his condition.
They would go on city walks, take trips, explore new things such as meeting new friends, and basically do everything he craved for so long.
Sully had been a people-oriented dog all this time; he just needed someone to realize that. Julia figured it out immediately!
Source: @desertdogproject
To help his worn-down elbows from further deterioration, she even got him his custom braces, aside from joint injections, acupuncture treatments, and physical therapy that he was already subjected to.
His momma did everything she could to help Sully live like a regular dog, and it is safe to say that she succeeded.
In addition to that, she even surprised him with the single best gift he could ever ask for – a dog sibling!
When she adopted another dog, Effie, Sully couldn’t be more excited. He literally behaved like Effie’s dad, taking care of her and being so gentle and loving around her.
When she adopted another dog, Effie, Sully couldn’t be more excited. He literally behaved like Effie’s dad, taking care of her and being so gentle and loving around her.