Is there anything sadder than the thought of a dog all alone and abandoned? Well, when this poodle was left behind in a parking lot he also brought with him the most heartbreaking note, ever.
20. Memorial Day
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The Harris Country Animal Shelter in Houston, Texas, had been closed on Memorial Day and was finally reopening its doors. Many of the employees and volunteers were heading in when they noticed some strange in the parking lot.
19. Parking Lot
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As the employees walked through the parking lot, they quickly noticed a large abandoned crate right in the middle. They were instantly curious about the crate and approached it with caution.
18. Terrified
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As they approached the crate they finally saw what was inside and they were shocked! Inside of the crate was a horribly terrified 1-year-old poodle. His name was Lee and he was in terrible shape.
17. Dirty Fur
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Lee appeared to be scared out of his mind and he was shaking furiously. On top of that, his fur was terribly dirty and matted. The volunteers were so upset by the sad sight of poor Lee.
16. Matted
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“Lee was matted and covered in urine when he arrived,” Kerry McKeel, the shelter’s media specialist, told The Dodo. “He was very unsure and nervous.”
15. A Note
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As rescuers began to pull Lee out to help them, they noticed something else inside of the crate. They pulled out a handwritten note with the saddest message ever.
14. The Message
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“Can you please take care of my dog? He’s a great puppy, I just couldn’t afford to keep him. His name is Lee. He will listen, he will bark, and will not bite.” Still, the note went on…
13. Apologies
“Please don’t put him down I love him, but can’t afford to keep him. I haven’t shaved him yet, I apologize, but please care for him and find him a home. Thanks.” The rescuers were absolutely heartbroken by Lee’s condition and the letter.
12. Abandoned
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Sadly enough, Lee is just one of 200 animals that were abandoned at the shelter over Memorial Day weekend. The shelter is designed to hold around 150 animals and they were already at capacity when they found Lee.
11. Harsh Transition
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It was an incredibly harsh transition for Lee at the animal shelter. Since the shelter was overflowing with animals many of the cages were filled to the brim. This only stressed him out more.
10. Hurricane Harvey
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The shelter has no idea what prompted so many people to give up their animals over the weekend. However, their best guess is that it has to do with the devastation from Hurricane Harvey.
9. Financial Difficulties
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Many people find themselves in financial difficulties, just like Lee’s previous owner. The cost of housing, feeding, and taking care of a dog can be hard on many families.
8. Understanding
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“We certainly understand financial hardship, but if there is some small way that we can help keep pets with their people, we want to do that,” Harris County Animal Shelter wrote on Facebook. “Before making that decision to give up a pet, talk to us about your circumstance to determine if we can link you with a resource.”
7. Adjusting
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Over the next few days, Lee began to adjust more and more to his new surroundings. Then it was finally time for him to get the grooming that he deserved.
6. A Trim
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So the shelter staff brought Lee into the grooming room where he got a much needed trim. After he got a well-deserved trim, Lee’s dazzling personality began to shine out!
5. Confident
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Lee is now a much more confident puppy! He has been showing his friendly and loving personality to all of the shelter staff. The staff have been so happy to finally meet the real Lee.
4. Affectionate
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“Lee is an affectionate, very smart and spunky pup,” McKeel said. “He knows how to sit and play fetch. He certainly went from bow to wow.”
3. Fostering
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In the meantime, McKeel has been fostering Lee and making sure that he is comfortable at his foster home. McKeel has said that Lee is such a pleasure to have around!
2. Good Pup
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“He is such a good pup. Very playful,” McKeel said. “I also learned this morning that he really enjoys a Puppuccino! We did a Starbucks run.”
1. Interested Families
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So far, Lee has two interested families looking to adopt him. It won’t be long before Lee gets to go to his new loving forever home!