It’s always very sad when dogs are abandoned — often you can just see the heartbreak on the poor dog’s face.
But thankfully, there are also kind people willing to give these discarded animals a second chance. That was the case for one puppy, whose life turned around after being left at a shelter.
Last week, the Pennsylvania SPCA found a five-month-old Cane Corso/pit mastiff puppy left outside their Philadelphia headquarters, tied up to a pole.
She was left with just a note: “Good Puppy. House Broken. Don’t Have A Name.”
While the dog appeared healthy, she had discharge from her eyes that “made her look as if she had been crying,” according to a Facebook post.
“We literally had to wipe away the tears from her eyes,” the SPCA wrote.
“Our hearts broke for her. She was so terrified… At just five months old, this sweet girl has been abandoned by likely the only family she has known.”
“But she was safe with us now.”
The SPCA named the dog “Minerva.” Though she was scared and heartbroken, she was also sweet and loving, and the shelter wanted to do everything they could to give her the second chance she deserves.
Thankfully, it wasn’t long before things turned around for sweet Minerva. In an update on May 10, the SPCA announced that Minerva had been adopted!
People were thrilled by the happy ending. “Congratulations to beautiful Minerva and her equally beautiful forever family,” one comment on the post reads. “Thank you for adopting this sweet baby and giving her such a wonderful home with you.”
“Ohhh look at those smiling faces!!!” another wrote. “You are amazing!! She’s gonna be spoiled! No more tears there!”
While it’s a happy ending for Minerva, this is far from an isolated case, and there are many dogs just like her being left at the shelter at an alarming rate. The SPCA encourages people to consider adopting.
“We are seeing the frequency of dogs abandoned on our property rise,” the Pennsylvania SPCA wrote. “We are witnessing owner surrenders increasing. It may go without saying that adoptions have slowed down significantly.”
“Dogs just like Minerva are coming in every day. We are rescuing animals from cruelty and neglect. We are saving them after they’ve been abandoned. And we are hoping with all of our might that loving families will come to adopt.”
It’s heartbreaking how many dogs are abandoned like this, but we’re glad Minerva has a great new home — she’ll never cry again 
