“[S]omething about her gave him this level of confidence he’d never had.”
Four years ago, Claudia Papp decided to foster a dog from Diamonds in the Ruff Animal Rescue named Chapo. Rescued from a traumatic past, Chapo had ended up on a shelter’s euthanasia list.
When Papp first welcomed Chapo home, he was visibly frightened. He was covered in fleas, had worms, a skin infection, and fractured teeth. “For the first five days, he didn’t even walk toward me,” Papp shared with The Dodo. “He stood by the back door, staring at it the entire first night.”
Given his difficult past, Chapo took months to feel even slightly secure. After five months, he still wouldn’t venture outside. Despite having fostered 47 other dogs before him, Chapo’s gentle spirit and soulful eyes made it impossible for Papp to let him go. So she chose to make Chapo her first “foster fail.”
One day, after seeing Chapo bond with her cat, Papp decided to foster a kitten named Cecily. Chapo was immediately drawn to Cecily’s playful energy, and Cecily seemed to trust him instinctively. Something about her presence made Chapo feel safe. Within two weeks, Chapo surprised Papp by walking outside on his own — a huge milestone.
“Cecily brought him a confidence he’d never had, maybe even in his entire life,” Papp said.
Papp never would have guessed that all her 50-pound dog needed to come out of his shell was a kitten. Seeing Cecily’s positive effect on Chapo, she continued fostering kittens. With each new feline friend, Chapo grew more comfortable and affectionate. The kittens even served as role models, and Chapo started copying their behaviors — rolling onto his back when they did, stretching his legs when they stretched.
Many of the kittens Papp fostered had their own struggles, but Chapo, in turn, became a calm, comforting presence for them. “He has this natural nurturing ability that I’ll never fully understand, especially given his past,” Papp said.
Now, four years later, Chapo has officially spent more time in Papp’s loving home than he did in his old life. “His progress is beyond what I ever thought was possible,” she said.
Thanks to the many kittens who found their way into Papp’s home, Chapo has become a new dog — a world away from the terrified pup Papp first met.