A devoted senior dog was harshly abandoned and left chained in her yard after her family relocated

Our furry friends will always love us unconditionally, no matter what. Unfortunately, some owners take advantage of this unwavering bond and neglect their dogs or treat them poorly. No one should ever mistreat a poor pup in such a way; they deserve to be cherished as much as they cherish us!

Athena, an elderly pooch from Nikolaevka, Bulgaria was sadly abandoned by her “family” after years of devotion and unconditional love. This heartbreaking realization taught Athena the difficult lesson that loyalty is not always returned in kind.

For years, Athena selflessly provided her family with unconditional love and devotion. Yet when they relocated to another home, this devoted dog was cruelly left behind in the dust. This careless act of abandonment broke Athena’s spirit and she never recovered from its devastating effects.

Poor Athena was not only bereft without her family, but she also feared being alone. Compounding the sadness of the situation, someone had cruelly attached a heavy collar to her body and left her chained in the yard with no hope of escape.

Helplessly, the poor pup was left to sit alongside the road and pray that one of the passing vehicles would have mercy on her. Athena could be seen as a picture of sorrow; word quickly got out to a compassionate volunteer at a local dog rescue center when they heard about this helpless hound in need.

Laurica Nagel’s heart sank when she arrived at the scene. There, chained up and barely alive, was Athena – her head bowed in dejection. With only scraps for sustenance from nearby truckers, the poor pup had withered away to a hollow shell of her former self; fleas and ticks covered her fur coat while one eye was now blinded by malnutrition.

As soon as possible, Nagel rushed Athena to the rescue center where she could get medical care and receive nutritious meals. After being lavished with a much-needed bath, Athena was showered with all of the love and compassion that she deserved – which made all of the difference in her life.

As Athena’s recovery started, the shelter staff anxiously began to contemplate how they could secure her a new home. They were already aware that senior dogs face greater difficulty in finding forever homes since most people prefer puppies.

Luck was on Athena’s side when a family happened to stumble upon her picture on social media and decided to come to meet her at the shelter. Upon meeting, they were impressed by her resilience and courage as she faced all of life’s obstacles; it wasn’t long before this sweet older dog found a forever home with them! The staff couldn’t have been happier for Athena – in just one visit she had gained an entirely new loving family.

Rather than perceiving Athena as a burden, her new family recognized the gentle and caring canine that she genuinely is. Unwilling to repeat what her prior owners had done by forsaking her, they opened their arms wide in hospitality. Invitingly welcoming Athena into their home with love and joy!

Every single dog deserves to be cherished and loved, for adopting a pup means taking on a life-long responsibility. To show our appreciation for their unconditional love, we must make sure that our pet’s well-being is always at the forefront of our minds. By providing them with the best care possible, we are expressing how much they mean to us.