Sweet Senior Dog Found Dumped in Parking Lot, Drinking from Muddy Puddle to Survive
If there’s a dog whose story will make it hard for you to hold back tears, it’s Rocco’s.
Rocco has gone through a level of suffering that no dog his age deserves. This sweet senior was found abandoned at an office parking lot, looking frail, starved, and in agonizing pain. Hunger had taken a toll on Rocco so much so that he resorted to lapping the dirty waters of a nearby puddle just to silence his rumbling stomach. This filthy water was the only “meal” Rocco could access. (Watch Video Below)
@bigdogranchrescuefl 💔 Moments from being euthanized. Forgotten at 13 years old. 💔 Rocco’s story is one of heartbreak and the hope that someone out there has room in their heart for a senior dog who deserves peace, comfort, and love. At 13 years old, Rocco was found abandoned after hours in a Deerfield Beach office complex parking lot. Weak, starving, and drinking from a muddy puddle just to stay alive, he was suffering from a painful, untreated ear hematoma. The good Samaritan who found him couldn’t take Rocco home but knew he needed urgent help—so he brought him to @BCAC Volunteer Broward County Animal Care. Rocco a microchip registered to an outdated number. No one came forward. Rocco was treated for his ear, neutered, and placed on a fast-moving clock. Because of his age and medical needs, his chances of adoption were almost nonexistent. He had just hours left before euthanasia. That same good Samaritan happened to be a supporter of Big Dog Ranch Rescue—and reached out to us. We knew we couldn’t let Rocco’s story end like this. We pulled Rocco from Broward County within hours of his deadline. Now safe at Big Dog Ranch Rescue, Rocco has received the medical care he needed and is ready for adoption. He’s calm. He’s grateful. And he still has so much love left to give. All Rocco wants now is a quiet home, a soft bed, and someone to love him for whatever time he has left. Senior dogs like Rocco ask for so little—but they give so much in return. If you’ve ever thought about opening your heart to a senior, this is your moment. Give Rocco the family he’s fought so hard to reach. 🐾 💙Donate: www.BDRR.org/miracle-fund 🐶Lifesaving Member: www.BDRR.org/lifesaver 🐾 Adopt: www.BDRR.org/adopt 💲Venmo: @bigdogranchrescue 💰CashApp: @bigdogranchrescue 💵Zelle: finance@bdrr.org #bdrr #bigdogranchrescue #dogrescue #rescuedog #AdoptDontShop #adoptadog #foreverhome #shelterdog #shelterdogsoftiktok #animalrescue #browardcounty #palmbeachcounty ♬ everything works out in the end – Luke Willies
To add to his torment, Rocco was battling an excruciatingly painful ear condition, ear hematoma, that had gone untreated for a long time. Whoever dumped Rocco had clearly him for dead. Luckily, a good Samaritan passing by the parking lot noticed him and intervened before it was too late.
Escaping Euthanasia
Unable to ignore Rocco’s plight, the kind-hearted stranger immediately contacted the nearest local shelter, Broward County Animal Care. The shelter took in Rocco, and shortly afterwards discovered he had a microchip linked to a phone number that was no longer in service.
Sadly, the shelter couldn’t tend to Rocco’s pressing needs as they were already stretched to capacity. Besides the fact that Rocco needed costly medical treatment, his old age made him less desirable for adoption. Eventually, the shelter made the heartbreaking decision to add Rocco to their euthanasia list.
Rocco’s good Samaritan couldn’t accept this fate. They had seen the faint spark of hope in Rocco’s weary eyes while rescuing him, a sign of his will to live. This kind stranger refused to let Rocco’s story end on such a heartbreaking note, and so with desperation, they contacted an animal rescue that they had supported before, the Big Dog Ranch Rescue (BDRR). Amazingly, the Florida-based rescue managed to pull Rocco out of the kill shelter just a few hours before his scheduled euthanasia.
A New Beginning
When Rocco arrived at BDRR, he received the medical care he urgently needed. The rescue’s veterinary team addressed his ear condition, dehydration, and malnutrition. Thanks to the amazing staff members, Rocco received the love and attention that he had been denied for so long.
As days went by, Rocco started showing signs of recovery. Every nourishing meal drew him closer to a healthy weight, his dull coat began regaining its luster, and his defeated eyes started to sparkle with optimism for better days.
We’re happy to report that as we speak, Rocco has fully recovered. This sweetheart of a boy survived the worst, and right now, he stands ready for just one last chance. Rocco desires to live out his remaining years with a family that will make him feel wanted every single day; a forever home that will erase any remaining memory of his painful past.
We Beg You, Please Give Rocco a Home
Ever met a dog who expresses gratitude with so much depth? That’s Rocco for you.
He responds to every gentle touch, every full bowl of fresh water, and every comforting voice with soulful eyes that seem to say, “Thank you for saving me.” He accepts every gesture of kindness with a quiet awe, because this is something he hasn’t experienced in a long time. Rocco possesses an extraordinary level of calmness that will make you realize all this pup wants is to feel safe and cherished for the years he has left.
Rocco deserves so much comfort at this stage of his life, because that sweet, loving heart underneath his graying coat has endured undeserving misery. If you would love to offer Rocco the fairytale ending he’s desperately waiting for, learn more about his adoption here.
