It really is incredible how we just never know what the future has in store for us.
For an old, homeless dog named Solo, his future seemed rather clear. After 11 long years on the streets of Los Angeles, what could possibly change? He was surely destined for a sad life, sleeping on the streets and rummaging through garbage to feed his yearning belly.
But while one would have thought this dog’s fate was sealed years ago and that’s exactly how everything would end for him too, things suddenly took an unexpected turn.
The dog, later named Solo, was defeated. After so many years on the rough streets of LA, he appeared to decide he’d finally had enough.
After 11 long years, Solo was hungry, mangy and had no real idea of what affection and love were.
The old dog crawled up in front of a stranger’s house and collapsed into a sad, defeated ball. He looked like he was just getting ready to die.
As fate would have it, though, in that house lived a kind woman who immediately felt concern for the poor dog. She decided to call him Solovino, which means “he came alone” in Spanish, and promptly contacted animal welfare organization Rocket Dog Rescue.
The organization responded and soon flew a volunteer into LA to help. The dog became known simply as Solo.
Solo was properly fed and treated by vets and his general condition began to improve. He was at last in ‘foster care’ condition, but sadly no one really seemed to want to keep him. He kept being passed on from one foster home to another. More sadness in this dog’s life followed, as if he hadn’t had enough.
But then, one woman named Carol Messina happened to see his photo online. She instantly felt a connection and decided she wanted to love him, she told The Dodo.
Carol, a huge Star Wars fan, was also drawn to his name, it also belonging to a popular Star Wars character.
“I immediately thought, ‘Well, his name is Solo!’ she said. “I knew it was fate. Then when I met him and saw how sad he was, I knew he was going to stay with me forever no matter what.”
She did exactly that. Carol welcomed the sweet senior, ex-street dog into her loving home. He was understandably very shy and skittish. After so many rough years, trusting humans was no easy feat.
“When he first came to live with me, he kept his tail between his legs for months,” Carol explains. “He was very non-reactive to dogs and people and cats, and flinched any time anyone tried to pet him.”
But that’s when Carol also realized two key things about Solo: one was that he was practically deaf, the other is that he had serious teeth problems. No wonder all the other owners rejected him, she thought.
But she refused to give up. She treated his teeth problem and the dog’s mood almost immediately shifted. He was suddenly much happier and had a newfound appetite for life.
“The people who live around us are always commenting on how he doesn’t even seem like the same dog anymore,” Carol says. “He didn’t smile or barely open his mouth even to pant for months, and now he smiles and rolls around and will run full-tilt across the lawn a dozen times a day.”
Carol also worked hard to manage Solo’s deafness — always turning the light on first, for instance, before walking into the room so as not to frighten him. She also attached a harness around him mentioning his deafness so that people wouldn’t immediately pet him when they’re out for walks.
Now the two are as close as can be!
So much love, attention and energy from a big hearted animal hero! After 11 years on the street, it turns out anything is still possible!
Please share to thank Carol for her wonderful compassion and to wish both Carol and Solo all the best in their new lives together. Fate sure is real!
