It was a sweltering summer afternoon in Cincinnati, Ohio, when a mom picking her kids up from a playdate spotted something alarming. The next street over was a dead end, usually empty of living beings — but on that day, a single soul was waiting for help.

The woman’s heart broke when she drove over and found a full-grown bulldog tethered to a fire hydrant.

“He had wrapped himself all around the fire hydrant on a dead-end street with all abandoned houses … [with] no viable humans to save a dog,” Staci Lovy, founder of Badass Bulldogs Rescue (BBR), told The Dodo.

Staci Lovy

Sadly, the woman couldn’t take the dog, but she swiftly reached out to Lovy — who was busy doing yard work — for help. When she didn’t initially hear back from Lovy, she posted the bulldog on BBR’s Facebook group, and one of the group’s members decided to scoop the pup up later that day.

According to Lovy, the husband and wife’s timing saved the sweet dog’s life.

“It was Friday, the day before we had record 100-degree Fahrenheit temperature for the next 7-8 days,” Lovy said. “He for sure would’ve died in that heat …”

Staci Lovy

A couple of hours later, when the rescuer finally heard about the bulldog, she dropped everything to pick him up from the couple’s house an hour away. She was taken aback by the pup’s demeanor as soon as she met him.

“He was very sweet right from the time I met him,” Lovy said.

Staci Lovy

Lovy loaded him back in the car and drove him to her house, where he quickly started showing signs of distress. He was happy to be in a home but struggled with frequent urination, so she booked an emergency vet appointment for him the following morning. There, he was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, dehydration and a few other health issues.

In addition to the pain from his medical ailments, the dog — later named Charlie after the vet who treated him that day — seemed to be emotionally wounded, too.

“Charlie was very high strung and very wound up,” Lovy said. “He was so confused about being a dog …”

Staci Lovy

Due to Charlie’s resource guarding, especially around balls, Lovy suspected he’d been left alone outside for long periods with a single ball to play with. The poor boy required surgery for his medical conditions and training for his behavioral quirks, but Lovy was dedicated to giving him everything he needed to thrive.

“We walked and walked and walked some more to try and calm his brain,” Lovy said. “He learned to ‘drop it’ for any ball or toy and no longer guarded anything. He learned to trust and love even other dogs. I was so proud of him …”

Staci Lovy

Within a few weeks of his rescue, Charlie’s physical and mental health improved. The sweet boy’s personality blossomed once Lovy discovered all his favorite things.

“He loved the rain like crazy. We had lunch on the patio in a rain storm, and he played and played …” Lovy said. “We also drove around for hours eating peanut butter cookies from Speedway with all the windows down … Charlie was an amazing dog who was dealt a crap life like so many others nowadays, but he was amazing and will forever be one of my favorites.”

Staci Lovy

As much as Lovy loved Charlie, she knew he would thrive in an adoptive home. So when a couple who’d recently lost their beloved bulldog applied to adopt him, she felt they could be a perfect fit. They lived seven hours away but made the trip the very next day to meet him.

“They rented a suite so he would have plenty of room. They had his crate set up with a ton of new toys and balls, and I brought his blanket and some peanut butter cookies and some bones,” Lovy said. “They lost their bulldog, Jax, 2 months before they applied to adopt Charlie, and they kept telling me it was love at first sight.”

Staci Lovy

It truly was love at first sight for Ryan and Samantha. They were instantly enthralled with their new pup and couldn’t wait to bring him home.

A little over a month later, Charlie has completely settled into his new home and loves his life.

“Charlie is such an awesome dog. As he’s settled in with us, his playful and goofy side has really come out, which we absolutely love,” Samantha told The Dodo. “When Charlie meets new people, he charms them instantly with his cute, wiggly corkscrew tail and the adorable way his tiny front teeth peek out.”

Staci Lovy

While Charlie still has some quirks from his previous life, his new parents are happy to help him overcome them with patience and love.

“His favorite part of the day is curling up in his bed with his blankets at night,” Samantha said. “I like to think, in those peaceful moments, he’s forgotten all about his tough past and feels completely at home with us.”

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Source: New York Post