Online hearts are melting as they watch a rescue dog’s incredible recovery after discovering his forever home.
A critically malnourished Henry was discovered chained up in a culvert in China in August 2020. The golden retriever was adopted by a couple in Charlotte, North Carolina, two years ago, and he is currently enjoying the finest life possible.
Henry’s owners Lindsay and Brandon Pabula (@hangingwith henry) released a tape on TikTok on October 18 that showed glimpses of his new life, including outings to the park, home-cooked dinners, and naps with his sisters Bailey and Ellie.
Users moved by Henry’s story have watched the video more than 60,500 times and given it more than 8,000 likes in just two days.
An Increase in Dog Adoptions Abroad
A 2021 study that was published in the journal PLOS One suggested that there was an upsurge during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the fact that the precise number of dogs imported into the United States each year is unknown and difficult to measure. The increase, according to the researchers, was caused by an increase in pet adoptions during the lockdown.
The number of canines denied admission increased by 52% in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with false or faulty vaccinations being the most common cause. The study’s authors hypothesized that the demand for dogs resulted in attempts to circumvent or violate restrictions by foreign merchants and that as pet adoption rates increased, fewer canines were being given to domestic shelters.
“The Life He Fully Deserves”
The TikTok video begins with a moving shot of a chained-up Henry in a dark tunnel. However, the next clip shows Henry cuddling with his new owners Lindsay and Brandon.
Henry is also shown cuddled up on a dog bed, playing with his sisters in the park, suited up for Christmas (he gets a stocking), and having a birthday celebration with cake and party hats.
According to Lindsay, Henry was discovered not just to be extremely underweight but also with wounds that were infected with maggots. He was subsisting on the larvae that dropped to the ground.
We don’t know how long he was chained there, but a passerby informed the rescue group where he came from, and they were able to take him to a nearby vet, the woman said.
@hangingwith_henry Life update for the person who dumped me #goldenretriever #dogsoftiktok #abandoneddog #newlife #DidYouYawn ♬ Possibility – Lykke Li
Henry spent the following several months recuperating at the veterinarian following surgery to remove the maggots and treat his wounds, which are thought to be the consequence of a dog assault. Before traveling to the United States in 2021 to live with Lindsay and Brandon, the then-8-year-old spent a brief time in foster care with a family.
We applied to adopt Henry after seeing him on Instagram, she added.
“Three months later he went to the United States; we were chosen to be his family. We picked him up in Seattle and drove him across the nation to our house in North Carolina.”
Lindsay claims that Henry, who is now 9 years old, acts and appears much younger. Although his injuries left scars, he is otherwise healthy and has put on 12 pounds since moving into his final home.
He is a 5/5 on the physical scale at his current weight of 65 pounds, according to Lindsay. He always makes his veterinarian so happy to see him!
Ellie and Bailey, Henry’s two canine siblings, and he have formed a strong bond.
According to Lindsay, “Ellie bonded with him right away and then kept her distance for almost a year.”
“We constantly joke that Henry is in love with her since he seems to flirt with her more than play with her and she plays hard to get.
“His other sister is Bailey, and getting to know her took some time. Since Bailey was an only child for five years, she finds it difficult when new canines come into the family.
They enjoy playing ball together and interact so well. After approximately three months at home, she recognized he was here to stay, and she now adores him.
Henry enjoys playing with his sisters as well as his own collection of toys (his favorite are the rubber balls). Additionally, he enjoys swimming in the backyard pool on warm days and taking family vacations to the seaside.
Melissa Hurley dubbed the video “wonderful,” and TikTok users couldn’t get enough of Henry and his joyful household.
Source: Newsweek
