“[It’s] the kind of darkness that makes your stomach turn …”
Earlier this month, animal rescuer Suzette Hall pulled into a deserted public park long after sunset. She had received a tip that two small dogs had been abandoned somewhere in the darkness.
As she stepped out of her car, the silence felt heavy.
“It’s the kind of darkness that makes your stomach turn,” Hall later wrote on Facebook.
At first, she and fellow rescuer Rosario Ortiz couldn’t see anything unusual. But as they walked farther into the park, a strong odor hit them. Moments later, their flashlights caught two sets of glowing eyes staring back from the shadows.
Left Behind in Crates
When the beams of light settled, the heartbreaking scene became clear: two small dogs, each confined to metal crates, sitting alone in a vast park known to be frequented by coyotes at night.
The rescuers had no idea how long the pups had been there. One crate held a crumpled slice of pizza. Waste pooled around them. Whoever left them behind had disappeared without a trace.
Hall was devastated.
“Who does that?” she wrote.
Loyalty in the Shadows
There was one small sign of hope. One of the dogs had managed to escape his crate — yet he hadn’t run away.
Instead, he stayed right beside his still-confined companion.
“The one who got out would not leave his friend’s side,” Hall shared. “Guarding him. Protecting him.”
The two dogs had only each other.
Earning Trust
Before Hall could rescue them, she had to win over the loose pup. He was understandably wary.
She sat on the ground and spoke softly. She gently touched the crate holding his friend, showing him she meant no harm.
At first, the dog hesitated. Then, slowly, he stepped closer.
Soon, he was giving her kisses.
Hall carefully picked him up and placed him back inside the crate with his companion — a reunion that brought visible relief to both pups.
A New Beginning
With the dogs safely secured in her van, Hall drove them straight to Camino Pet Hospital. During the ride, she felt their tension melt away.
“They were safe. They knew it,” she wrote.
At the clinic, the dogs received checkups, treatment for skin conditions and warm baths. They were given new names: Cupid and Ero.
Though they had endured neglect, both were otherwise in good health.
Smiles After Survival
A few weeks later, Cupid and Ero are thriving. They’ve been cleared for foster placement and are preparing for the next chapter of their lives.
Hall says rescues like this remind her why she continues the difficult work.
“Sometimes, miracles look like two freshly groomed, smiley little boys named Cupid and Ero.”