ICE Took His Parents 🥹
Dylan didn’t bark. He didn’t growl. He didn’t even flinch.
When I found him, he was lying in his own urine in the corner of a kennel, completely frozen in fear. It took everything in him just to lift his head. And still, somehow, his tail gave the tiniest wag. That one little movement was all I needed to see. (Watch Video Above)
It meant he hadn’t given up.
Dylan is a big pup, maybe a Mastiff-Cane Corso mix, just over a year old. But despite his size, he was like a scared child trapped in a world he didn’t understand. No microchip. No name on his collar. Just trauma, confusion, and silence.
Owner Taken Away by ICE
Eventually we pieced together the fragments of his story. Dylan’s owner had left him with a friend before heading to Los Angeles. The owner never came back. ICE detained him.
No matter how you feel about the politics of it, Dylan didn’t understand any of that. All he knew was that his person disappeared and never returned. That kind of abandonment leaves a wound you can’t see on an X-ray.
And yet, speaking of X-rays—we would soon need one.
Foxtails in His Fur
While sitting with Dylan, I noticed something tangled in his fur—a foxtail. These barbed grass awns are more than just a nuisance; they’re incredibly dangerous. They can burrow into a dog’s skin, ears, eyes, or even lungs, causing infections or worse. The one in Dylan’s coat was wedged deep, and it made me realize just how long he’d gone without basic care. It’s a subtle detail, but it speaks volumes—this sweet boy has been surviving, not thriving.
Hope Has a Name
We needed a name for this sweet boy. Something with meaning. Something that captured what we felt.
We landed on Dylan. It means “ray of hope” in Irish. And that’s exactly what he is.
Baked with Love
At some point during our earliest interaction, I reached into my pocket for something special: handmade peanut butter and cheese bones from my Dog Bakery. I don’t always talk about these because, well, they sell out too fast. But I begged my team to let me bring some this time.
They’re small, aromatic, and packed with love—like the kind of thing your grandma makes for you and you can taste the care in every bite. Dylan didn’t take them right away. But he sniffed them. And when a shut-down dog uses their nose? That’s a huge step.
He eventually opted for the cheese over the sweet. And honestly, that fits him.
Adoptable Dogs In Your Area
Positive Affirmations & Quiet Wins
When a dog is frozen like Dylan was, it’s not about getting them to walk right away. It’s about letting them feel safe enough to consider moving.
Sometimes it’s sitting quietly beside them. Sometimes it’s a gentle head rub. Or telling them, over and over, in a calm, steady voice: “You’re a good boy. None of this is your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Training fearful dogs starts with permission—not commands.
The Turn
After I visited Dylan at the shelter and spent time helping him come out of his shell, he began making small but meaningful progress. He was sniffing treats, responding to touch, and even took a few tentative steps outside. But a few days later, after I had already left, the shelter contacted me with urgent news: Dylan had taken a turn for the worse.
He had stopped eating, developed a fever, and his breathing became labored. The shelter didn’t have a full-time vet on staff, so I stepped in to get him the help he needed. My friend Phil transported Dylan to a veterinary clinic—not an emergency hospital, but the situation was serious. There, he was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia. The vet confirmed significant inflammation, likely from long-term neglect.
Luckily, Phil did what all heroes do: he stopped by a grocery store and picked up a rotisserie chicken. Piece by piece, he fed Dylan until he started eating again. That small win gave us a new dose of hope. Dylan was fighting.
And so were we.
Then Came Penelope
After spending time with Dylan, my heart was full—but heavy. So I visited a tiny white senior dog who had just come in: Penelope.
She weighed barely 3 pounds and had been found curled up on someone’s doorstep like a surprise gift from the universe. Thirteen years old, delicate as a whisper, with a little tail that wagged like a metronome every time someone said her name.
Penelope’s name was engraved into her collar buckle. She may have been abandoned, but she had an identity. She knew who she was. And when I picked her up? She melted into my arms like we were old friends.
Two Dogs, One Message
Dylan and Penelope are nothing alike. One is huge, young, and recovering from pneumonia. The other is tiny, elderly, and looking for a soft lap to spend her golden years. But they have one thing in common:
They still believe in love.
Dylan will need continued care as he recovers, but he is available for adoption through Animal Friends of the Valleys in Wildomar, CA. Penelope will be adoptable shortly too.
How You Can Help
- Share their story. It makes a difference. It truly does.
- Adopt, foster, or donate. Every little bit helps.
- Join the community. Becoming a member or purchasing treats or Flip Coffee directly supports rescues like Dylan.
