Oscar’s family surrendered him when he was just under a year old. Poor guy looked like he had a permanent frown as the American bulldog mix has spent nearly all his life waiting for a forever home, and his solemn expression shows it.
Oscar’s friends at Miami-Dade Animal Services (MDAS) tried to do everything they could to change his life for the better. They gently treated an infected wound around his neck and washed away the dirt that had accumulated on his body from living outside. They then set him up in his own kennel and placed him on their list of adoptables. The longer he got passed over for adoption, the sadder he looked.
Rosa Ford, founder of Humans and Animals United, said it looked like "everybody forgot about him.” When the shelter reached maximum capacity they had no choice but to let go of longtime residents like Oscar, and that’s when Humans and Animals United stepped in. They found a foster family for Oscar to live with and as soon as he arrived to his new foster home, Oscar’s frown turned into an ear-to-ear smile.
“He was so happy,” Ford said.
Oscar had a long road of healing ahead of him. On top of being heartworm positive when Rosa picked him up, his teeth were in terrible condition. Oscar was happy but also in pain.
Oscar began daily treatments with Ford’s local vet, and, once he started feeling better, his bubbly personality blossomed. Finally, the weathered dog started to feel like a puppy again.
“He got a bit hyper,” Ford said. “But he’s young. And just so sweet.”
“He deserves a good home,” Ford said. “Somebody who’s gonna give him a lot of love and help him heal through the trauma he’s been through. Someone who’s gonna give him a lot of love and time to understand that he’s safe.” Oscar’s friends at Humans and Animals United are hopeful that a loving family will scoop him up soon, but, in the meantime, they’ll continue showering him with affection as he deserves.
If you're interested in adopting Oscar, you can reach out to Humans and Animals United via phone, email or social media. Here are before and after pictures of Oscar showing off his new smile.