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Abandoned dog's 3-year wait for owners ends with new home
The dog it seemed nobody wanted was flown hundreds of miles via private jet and finally found his forever home.
Wed, Nov 28 2012 at 4:38 PM
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Photo: 11Alive
An abandoned dog that waited three years for his owners to return has finally found a new home.
Chen the Chow was left behind when his owners deserted their Atlanta home, but he stuck around, sleeping in the carport and scavenging food scraps from a nearby grocery store.
Finally, after years of watching Chen wander the property, a neighbor told Lisa Renstrom of Chap’s Chow Rescue about the dog.
"He was waiting and waiting for his people to come home," Renstrom told 11 Alive News. "He absolutely would not leave that house. The people on either side would throw rocks and try to chase him away. He would not leave."
It took Renstrom a few weeks to gain Chen’s trust, but she won him over with kindness and food and took him to her dog rescue.
Healthy, happy and no longer alone, Chen was ready for his forever home, and Renstrom started looking. It didn’t take long.
Ben Rupp of Ohio saw Chen’s photo on Petfinder.com and felt a connection to the deserted dog. Chen reminded him of his Chow, Goldie, who had recently passed away after 13 years of companionship.
"His features are very similar to my old dog. The pictures and the story, it all came together,” Rupp told 11Alive.
Rupp called Renstrom and then booked a private jet and flew to Georgia, where Chen met him on the tarmac.
Although Renstrom had grown attached to Chen, she gave him a kiss goodbye and wished him well as he boarded the plane with Rupp.
"I hope he'll be happy," she said. "He deserves all the happiness."
Check out a video of Chen and his rescuers below:
More dog stories on MNN:
- Loyal Labrador known as 'Jurong's Hachiko' to be adopted
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- Shelter dog becomes a movie star
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We only wish the worst for the rock throwing people and the last owners of this poor animal!!!!
These neighbors should be fined and have stones thrown at them. Couldn't they see that Chen needed help??? I'm so glad that he has a new companion and new home. I do so prefer animals to humans.
agreed!!! i'll take animals over people any day.
As bad as it is abandoning your dog, leaving him to forage for food and fend for himself, the "neighbors" who threw rocks at Chen and did NOTHING to help him are are worse. Or at the very least, on par with Chen's former owners. I won't refer to them as family, for no family abandons a devoted member of their family. God Bless Chen. May the rest of his years be GOLDEN and filled with the love he so richly deserves. (((( CHEN ))))
I agree; what is wrong with people/???
"The people on either side would throw rocks and try to chase him away." Really? We call these things "people"?
My goodness all that then he gets a plane ride home. This made me cry but I am so happy for Chen!!!! (the neighbors throwing rocks should be prosecuted, how cruel!)
The neighbors should have rocks, lots of rocks, thrown at them!!
Why didn't one of them call a rescue group sooner?
Geez, this woman waited three years to try to help the dog?! Unbelievable. I hope the creeps who abandoned him and the asshole rock throwers will get what they deserve.
The only thing I can imagine is the person who finally called did not live in this neighborhood the entire 3 years to witness the continuing abuse of the evil neighborhood.
Yes, why did someone wait for 3 years???? Lousy neighbors deserve coal in their stockings. I'm glad there is a happy ending for Chen.
People who abandon their babies need to suffer!!! I hate any kind of animal abusers...
so i ask how can people see this dog for 3 years and just now do something??? seriously???
I agree, they all suck..
This story is troublesome on so many levels: Abandonded dog; careless and cruel neighbors; 3 years before anyone decided to do anything. What a bunch of losers!
Grateful for Lisa and Ben, who found it in their hearts to help him. So happy he has a forever home now. Thanks Lisa. You are an angel. And thanks Ben, you have a wonderful new best friend to love who will love you back in spades!
Ann your comments were right on target. I cried so hard over this article. HOW COULD ANYONE DO THIS. I wish they could find the owner of the dog and prosecute at the fullest extent of the law. Add neighbors too. So happy for dog now.
They most likely have and will keep getting bad karma.
What a nice neighborhood....NOT!
There was the neighbor who did finally call the rescue shelter, they are blameless, they may have not lived in this crappy and evil neighborhood in the 3 year span.
I am an animal lover, yet cats have always been my #1 love, but I would have caved in for this extremely loyal and obviously lovable dog. Makes me sick there are cruel people out there that do such horrible things to precious and defenseless animals.
People who abandon their pets are not deserving of being called a "human being" in my book. The previous "owners" of this dog did not deserve such a loyal pet. As for the worthless neighbors, I can only hope that what comes around, goes around.
God bless you Chen, and may you your new life be filled with long walks, plentiful treats, soft beds to sleep on and may your loyalty finally be returned to you tenfold.
I agree, and I truly hope they Never get another animal again. Unfortunately there are lots of creepy owners that do such evil things as abandoning animals like they are disposable. That makes me sick. My only sense of comfort is the good hearted people who help animals and rescue.
I agree 110%!! My beautiful orange tabby, Chico was left behind when his previous "family" moved away (he was just a year old - almost still a baby, really!), and even now, 8 years later, I'm still appalled by what happened to him. He is the furry love of my life, and I am so blessed to have him!!!
My thoughts: Who were the people that left him, it's public record and they should have been charged. The neighbors suck for two reasons: throwing rocks, and watching him for 3 years!!
Great ending but really people?
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