Terrified Golden Retriever Puppy Left at Shelter Without Even a Name
A 5-month-old golden retriever puppy arrived at the Benton-Franklin Humane Society after being surrendered by a man who had owned him for just three days. He didn’t even have a name.
According to shelter staff, the man simply said he needed to “get rid of” the puppy and offered almost no information about him. The frightened pup had been brought in with nothing more than a rope clipped to his collar.
“[H]e just sounded so casual about it,” Julie Saraceno, a volunteer at the humane society, told The Dodo. “He was just like, ‘I have a dog I need to get rid of.’”
The shelter named him Waffles, and it was clear he had no idea what was happening. Surrounded by the unfamiliar sounds of the shelter, he trembled with fear and looked around anxiously, searching for comfort.
His first bath became a turning point. The warm water seemed to melt away his fear, and volunteers said he relaxed so completely it was like he was enjoying a spa day. Later, one volunteer sat quietly with him on the kennel floor until he finally felt safe enough to curl up beside her and fall asleep.
It didn’t take long for people to fall in love with the sweet golden pup. As soon as Waffles was ready for adoption, he found a wonderful new family right away.
His story is also a reminder that shelters are filled with incredible dogs of every breed, age, and personality—all waiting for someone to give them the chance Waffles received.