In a Grand Rapids, Michigan, Meijer parking lot, a small black-and-white dog darted between cars and carts. She appeared to be alone and scared.
A group of shoppers noticed the nervous dog and worked together to earn her trust. It took some time, but they were finally able to secure her — and quickly discovered why she appeared so distressed.
Around the dog’s collar was a piece of rope securing a little baggie with a note. The note read simply: “My name is Rukey. Please help me, take me home.”
Realizing that Rukey was abandoned, the group of rescuers brought her to Kent County Animal Shelter.
“We get a lot of abandoned pets, but we don’t generally see them with a note,” Angela Hollinshead, director of Kent County Animal Shelter, told The Dodo. “This is a first for us where we have a dog that was turned loose in a public space with a note like this that’s landed on our doorstep.”
The shelter believes Rukey is a young Schipperke mix, and while it takes her a bit of time to warm up to new people, the staff can tell she’s a loving, loyal dog.
“She’s a very petite, little dog, and she’s very sweet,” Hollinshead said. “Once she was at the shelter, I had the opportunity to spend some time with her. And she’s shy, but once she trusts you, she’s very sweet.”
The shelter posted Rukey’s story on Facebook and addressed her former owner in a message that was full of compassion and empathy for the impossible decision they felt they had to make.
“To the person who had to make the heartbreaking decision to let her go — please know that Rukey is safe and deeply loved by our staff,” the shelter wrote on Facebook. “Her gentle personality has already won our hearts, and we will ensure she is cared for and finds a wonderful, loving family. We can only imagine how difficult this choice was for you, and we sincerely hope you find brighter days ahead.”
“As a reminder, please be kind to yourself and others. We never know the battles someone is silently facing,” they added.
Since arriving at the shelter, Rukey has been spayed and received a clean bill of health, which made her ready for adoption. And shortly after the shelter opened today, a family walked in and fell in love with the shy pup.
They knew immediately it was meant to be.
Though her stay at the shelter was short, Rukey made a lasting impression on everyone she met. And the shelter hopes her story opens people’s hearts.
“She is off to her new home, bringing joy to her new family!” the shelter wrote on Facebook. “Please remember to choose kindness.”
