“What a different life he is living now!”
Earlier this month in Houston, Texas, a man was on his way to work when he noticed a pile of discarded furniture scattered along the freeway. As he got closer, something caught his eye—a tiny, shivering body nestled between an old couch and a broken TV.
Stopping his car, he was shocked to find a 10-week-old puppy seeking shelter in the debris. His work shift was about to begin, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave the little pup behind.
Braving the cold, he wrapped the puppy in his jacket and kept him warm in his work truck with the heater on all day.
“The other men at the job site pitched in to buy him food,” Karlin Medlin of ThisIsHouston (TIH) told The Dodo. “That night, the Good Samaritan took him home and contacted us for help.”
TIH, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing high-risk dogs in Houston, typically takes in adult dogs with medical issues. But when they saw a photo of the tiny pup—later named Odie—they knew they had to help.
“We also take in little nuggets like Odie because his life matters greatly to us!” Medlin said.
With the help of another pair of Good Samaritans, Odie was transported to Medlin’s home, where he would stay in foster care until he found his forever family.
Despite his rough start, Odie quickly blossomed in his foster home—especially after meeting his new best friend, Peppa, a pug who was once a foster dog herself.
“His best friend has been a sweet little pug named Peppa, who is our personal dog, a foster fail from TIH,” Medlin said.
But Peppa wasn’t the only one Odie fell in love with. He also adored his foster family’s five children, forming a special bond with their 7-year-old son.
“They are constant companions,” Medlin said. “His days are filled with endless playtime, all the food and snacks his little heart desires, and never-ending love. What a different life he is living now!”
While Odie enjoyed his time with the Medlins, his rescue team was hard at work finding him a permanent home. Recently, he received a promising adoption application and is now on a two-week trial run with his potential forever family.
Though the Medlins will miss him dearly, they are thrilled for Odie to finally have the family he deserves. And even after he’s adopted, his rescue angels will continue to cheer him on from afar.
“Odie is a wonderful puppy who deserves the very best forever family,” Medlin said. “We’re so glad he found his way to us!”