The Power of Social Networking For Shelter Dogs

By Christina at TLPB

For a while, I've been preaching the importance of networking shelter dogs. The more we share, the greater the chances of a shelter dog being saved.

In theory, you probably think, that makes sense. But maybe you need to see real proof to really believe it. Nico is all the proof you need.

The incredibly sad photo above is Nico, a 6 year old deaf Dogo Argentino who was in a Los Angeles animal shelter in the summer of 2009. The photo paints such a heartbreaking picture of a dog's life on the inside. Nico was broken. Defeated. Done. He had given up and lost all hope, as so many shelter animals do.

It's a hard photo to look at, isn't it? But this photograph changed Nico's life.

When the photograph hit the internet, it broke the heart of everyone who saw it. Thankfully some hearts were broken in a good way. People felt motivated to do something. They wanted to change the ending of Nico's story.

People started sharing Nico's photo and his story. And since the internet world is a really small place, word spread like wildfire. Soon Nico was pulled from the LA shelter, even though he was labeled "dangerous" and was believed to have been used for dog fighting. The kind soul who pulled him planned to take him to her veterinarian to be euthanized, but as she spent time with him, she came to realize there was more to Nico than met the eye.

Check out this video of Nico. It's about 8 minutes long, but trust me, it's worth every second! Please watch it!

Nico ended up in Noblesville, Indiana, at the shelter where I am a volunteer. He was placed with a wonderful foster mom who taught him how to be a pet. She showed him, probably for the first time in his life, what it was like to be loved. The people who would become Nico's forever family found his picture on the shelter's webpage. They took him home and integrated him into their family, and since then they've added a canine sister for Nico.

Nico's life hasn't been without challenges. But he's worlds away from where he was just 3 short years ago. He's living the kind of life every dog deserves, with a family that adores him.

Nowadays, Nico is loving life. He's even got his own Facebook page. And none of this would have been possible without the compassionate souls who networked him as he sat, hopeless, in that Los Angeles shelter.

So the next time you're perusing Facebook and you come across a photo of a shelter dog, stop. Think about it. Ask yourself how you can help. And then believe that you can make a difference.

{Thank you to Deena Crouch for the photos above!}

Remember, it takes only one tiny spark to start a great forest fire. YOU can be that spark! YOU can put into motion the events that will change a shelter dog's life.

YOU.

Won't you make a difference today? You can start by following our Facebook page, where we save lives every single day!

{this post was originally published on The Lazy Pit Bull blog.}

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Comments on this Article

This video made me cry! Nico you are such a beautiful dog. I hope you and all the dogs like you find wonderful forever homes. Thank you for making this video. This ideas in it are so important.

A beautiful Story............get ya all choked up.........

This is an incrediable story. I love it. He is so handsom. I do have a seperate question. the other dog in the picture with him what kind is he or she. it looks like a twin to a dog that we were told was pittbull boxer but we do not believe it. Our Daisy may is 4 years old here in california we have had her since she was 5 weeks for a supposible rescue??

His collar is a vibration-only collar, used to call him to come to his mommy. They are very common in the deaf-dog training world.

Easy on the device collar there. It looks like a Citronella spray type collar which is not a bad thing. Unpleasant but not painfull to the dog and highly effective in teaching the dog quickly that it does not need to bark at everything and everyone. It works by spraying a mist just in front of the dog. I do question the choke collars when I see them. My first pitbull could strangle herself and not even stop, forget even slowing down. At first I used a choke chain collar, not a spiked one, until I realized the uselessness of it. She quickly developed a small scar at the cinch point and I switched to a harness and a fixed nylon breakaway collar to control her more like a horse with reins. On my current horse, er pitbull, I use an adjustable gentle leader headcollar and a body harness as backup, both still on one lead that works much more like reins and leads him from behind by directing his nose. The mix is very reliable and covers any and all happenstances without choking him but directing him while holding him back if needed in an emergency situation. If he demands to put his head into a situation the headcollar will break loose and I still have a full body harness to restrain him. Some dogs do need to be muzzled for their and others protection. If I have to, I will. So far he's learning quickly and as soon as I can I'm getting a Citronella type collar so the local burglars don't know he's there until they've jumped the fence or about to try and enter the house. Scaring them seems to work the best in keeping them from coming back again, fearing the unknown.

what is the medicine that made the tumor fall off?? that's the burning question!!

Lucky dog. Just shows that dogs just want love and companionship, and for it they'll be your loyal friend to the end.

Laura Edwards: if you watch the video, they explain that that collar is used to get his attention because he is deaf. It uses a very low vibration that he has been trained to respond to the same way a hearing dog would respond to being called. Amazing little instrument and very beneficial to a dog like Nico!

The story is awesome! And heartstring puller! HOWEVER, what is that thing Nico is wearing around its neck??? A shocker for what? Invisible fence? No-barking? If it gives him a shock whenever he misbehaves, REMOVE IT! He has suffered already... Thank you.

I remember seeing this picture on the web and it broke my heart then, seeing this poor dejected and thoroughly broken dog. I remember thinking this dog probably wishes it was dead. Now, seeing this story on how Nico was saved and adopted into a furever home did my heart good. It is nice to see happy endings when there are so many tales of brutality and abuse of these magnificent creatures. Doing rescue work and finding dogs in such horrible shape, after being so terribly abused. When I read these other stories, I don’t like to admit it, but it truly makes me hate those people. Likely, the very emotion that drives the people who abuse rises up in me when I read their stories, after they commit their foul deeds against the animals I love so much, so it is refreshing to hear such an uplifting story for a change.

Super!!!!!!!

Makes me want to bawl my eyes out! God bless the family who adopted him. Enjoy your new "forever" home Nico. You SO deserve the very best life can offer you. God bless and thank you for giving him a loving home. The people who abused him SO deserve the worst punishment possible and then some. Evil cowards!!! On another subject, there are really great collars to replace the cones they use after operations. It's a blow-up collar that looks like a little swimming tube. My dogs didn't mind them at all, in fact they served as pillows when they slept and they do not interfere with eating or drinking. They are tuff and can be used "forever". I really wish the vets would start using them, even if they have to charge for them. They're around $25 - $30.

Such a loving and beautiful out come for Nico. God bless Nico and the family who rescued him.

This is a wonderful story. You guys might also enjoy the book "Uggie". It's also about a Dogo. I can't remember the author, but it's a really good book. True story. I hope this guy beats his cancer and and many more great years with the people who love him.

Please credit Nikki Audet of Los Angeles, CA with the original picture of Nico from the shelter. It's her gift that saved his life.

Just watched the video and I can't stop crying. Bless the people who saved this dog. I hope he has a long and happy life with his loving mums and sister. I am still sobbing!

I love this.

it is amazing the strength of the first step, in this case the photo that continues to touch our hearts and has probably been the catalyst that has helped many shelter animals find homes. thank you

What a wonderful rescue story! It's so true, the power of social networking to help save dogs is real and I'm glad to see stories like this. I am so glad I have a rescue dog, she is wonderful and I am so blessed to have her in my life. They truly make the best pets!

The picture of him huddled against the wall is just heartbreaking...I'm so glad someone saw the good in him and gave him a chance. I'm a firm believer there is no such thing as a bad dog, only bad owners.

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