Dog abandoned on deserted street waits for family to come back — his guardian angel appears instead

Leanna, who goes by @barknwalk_ on Instagram, was driving back home when she saw a German Shepherd on the street. The dog looked sad but also hopeful that his family would return to take him home, but little did he know that his cruel owners had dumped him. What began as a helpless story of a dog being abandoned by his owners flipped when Leanna entered the plot. The beautiful story has gone viral with a million views after it was shared on May 1, 2025.

When people around that area saw the dog struggling, they immediately stepped in, giving him food and building a small shelter for him. Despite so much love, the dog always had his guard up, and he never allowed anyone near. But Leanna wasn't the one to give up so easily, so after 5 weeks of trying to gain his trust, the dog finally allowed her to put him on a leash. The woman, possibly, sent the dog to a shelter and thought she was sending him off to his forever home, but the baby had other plans. The German Shepherd, who had already grown fond of Leanna, returned to her, almost as if he'd chosen her to be his parent. From a not-so-social dog to a cuddle bug, the pup instantly transformed when he experienced love for the first time. "His family dumped him, but the community loved him," Leanna wrote in the caption.

Just like this dog, many dogs are abandoned by their owners every single day, but not all get another chance at life. Every year, as per World Animal Foundation, more than 6.5 million dogs, cats, and other pets enter animal shelters, which is just so alarming. Meanwhile, reacting to the video, @simplyashley69 commented, "Why am I crying this early! He was abandoned, trusted no one, and found love with you! It’s probably hard to care for multiple animals, but bless your heart for taking him in when he made his way back to the one he trusted after all this heartbreak." @aprylj007 said, "Thank you for rescuing this baby! I can’t believe people can just dump their pets anywhere, & these poor animals probably think their family will return for them. Breaks my heart! I’m so glad you found him or he found you. You’ve definitely made my heart happy."

Similarly, @wesleypotter9980 revealed, "After having my first German Shepherd, I have fallen in love with the breed, and I feel it in my heart to have a German Shepherd rescue nonprofit, and it just breaks my heart to see German Shepherds like this." Another user who goes by @claire_mcelheney on Instagram said, "Literally hugging my GSD and tearing up. Thank you so much for saving him. They are SO smart and SO incredibly sensitive and loving. Can’t imagine how he felt after getting dumped. Poor boy. He will love you and protect you throughout his days."

On the other hand, @bossladi_78 wrote, "A friend for life — that’s how I got mine. I found him in my neighborhood, put him on the neighborhood FB page for someone to claim him, and no one did. I took him to the vet to get all his shots and put him back on the FB page, and still no one claimed him. You could see his ribs, and 3 years later, he’s still here being my shadow."

You can follow Leanna (@barknwalk_) on Instagram for more dog-related content.