From the archives: This story was last updated in August 2019.
Heartbreaking betrayal from the ones you trust the most is surely one of the worst feelings in the world. Pets and animals experience this no less than humans do, as one unwanted pit bull in Los Angeles proves in a heartrending video.You can see the sorrow in this dog’s eyes after his owners dropped him off at Carson Shelter in Southern California in July 2019. His family was moving to a different home, and they didn’t want him anymore. It’s the ultimate betrayal.
The pit bull’s name is Blue King, or Blue for short.
The matter was even more serious for Blue, for Carson was at a high-kill facility where dogs that remain there for too long are euthanized. Tragically, there are just too many strays being turned in or surrendered, and space is limited. The only hope for these stray or unwanted dogs is for someone to adopt them.
One of these volunteers visited Blue and witnessed the utter devastation that was written all over his face. You might not have known that dogs can also cry tears like humans, but as you can see from Blue’s face, dogs can indeed.
In order to drive this point home, they even took a video of him when they visited him in his kennel. You can hear his whimpering, see the tracks of his tears, and feel the visceral sadness in the air about him. The volunteer offered Blue a treat; he sniffed it but refused to eat.
Heartache tends to dull the appetite.
That video was made public when Saving Carson Shelter Dogs posted it on their Facebook page in the hopes of finding a sympathetic human to adopt him. That’s how Jennifer Mckay found out about Blue, and she paid him a visit not long after.
“He looked very sad and depressed,” McKay told The Dodo. “He wouldn’t even acknowledge me at all. All the other dogs were making eye contact and wagging their tails, but he wouldn’t stand up, wouldn’t come see me. It was sad.
“You could tell that every time someone walked by, it was like he was looking for them,” she added. “It’s like he knew he had been left there.”
McKay would have adopted Blue that same day had Blue not had to undergo a temperament test still. That would take a week, but McKay made sure to keep him company, returning to visit two more times. On her second visit, she brought him a bone and a doggy bed.
“I got a little bit of attention from him,” said McKay. “He wouldn’t let me pet him or anything. But he liked his bed for sure.”
On the third visit, though, Blue seemed to perk up upon seeing her. “He came straight to me!” she said.
A little love goes a long way.
When finally it came time for McKay to take Blue home, he did an about face, taking his new human by surprise. She had expected him to be a bit more mellow, but he was full of beans.
“He kind of tricked me,” McKay told The Dodo enthusiastically. “I was expecting to get a really laid back, chill dog, but as soon as the gates opened in the kennel, he was super excited. And he loved riding in the car. He wanted to stick his head out the window.”
Blue wasted no time making himself at home in his new forever home. Now, he enjoys going for walks with his new owner, getting tummy rubs, and, strangely, smiling at himself in the mirror, his owner says.
“He just seems happy,” said McKay. “I got home from work yesterday, and he ran straight to me. He’s just a good dog. I’m super excited to have him be part of the family.”
