Homeless Pit Bull made his own bed at shelter to impress adopters when no one noticed him – what happened next changed his life
A rescue dog went out of his way to impress potential adopters with his gentle and loving nature. But his story is an example of the unfair stigma that his breed faces during adoption. Rush, a Pit Bull, watched as his shelter companions found their forever homes one after another while he was left behind. The poor dog struggled to cope with rejection and resorted to a desperate measure. He began making his own bed to leave a lasting impression on the shelter visitors, but it was not until the staff stepped in that Rush’s life changed for the better.
The Pit Bull's tragic past is barely reflected in his behavior. He was rescued from the streets but his difficult past never got to his gentleness. Noting his affectionate demeanor, the shelter volunteers hoped Rush would soon find a loving family to spend the rest of his life with. While people admired his remarkable presence, most adopters stepped back soon after learning about his breed. They were unsure about adopting a dog of a breed known for its aggressive nature and hostile dog attacks. The shelter staff were disheartened, but they did not lose hope, nor did Rush.
One day, the staff noticed Rush tucking in the corners of his bed sheet while carefully holding the blanket in his mouth. He was arranging his bed right on time for the visitors to witness his magic. Meanwhile, the shelter volunteers remained stunned by his heartwarming gesture. The Pit Bull wanted to establish his good nature and encourage a visitor to adopt him. Soon, it was an everyday ritual for Rush to make his bed. When his adoption hopes began to waver, the shelter filmed his feat and shared it on Facebook for the world to see. As expected, the video gained quite the traction, and a couple eventually reached out for Rush.
The couple was mourning the loss of their former dog and wanted to welcome Rush into their family. The shelter gladly handed the loving rescue over to their care, believing that Rush had finally gotten the fresh start he had always longed for. He was originally rescued and brought to the SICSA Pet Adoption Center in Kettering, Ohio. A viral clip shared by the adoption center (@SicsaOrgPetAdoptionCenter) shows Rush carefully arranging his bed, which touched millions of hearts. “So sweet, wagging tail and peeping up. Hoping one notices his attempt to please. I am glad he was homed!” wrote @marilynlooper1322. A fellow Pit Bull owner (@udigit22) shared, “He is so beautiful. We recently rescued a pit-bull just like him. He is lovely, and he arranges his blanket like that every day. I'm happy to hear this one found a loving home.”
However, some people felt that Rush was simply trying to comfort himself by making his bed, the only thing that he could call his own. Marc Bekoff, author and professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, explained, “I would accept the fact that because of the close relationship that dogs have had with humans for so long, they maybe do have this predisposition to want to please,” as reported by Kinship.
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