Dog Does not Make a Sound or Move as Rescuers Free Him from His ‘Dirt Armor’

When Valia of The Orphan Pet saw the dog in person he looked so much worse than his photo. Somewhere under the mound of dirt and feces saturated fur was a dog. He used to live with an elderly woman and when she died, someone cleared out her apartment and just left him on the sidewalk. How long he wasn’t cared for wasn’t clear. Months? Years?

She had responded to a text asking for help for the dog. The saddest thing, Valia noted when she first saw him, was that it was hard to register any feeling other than disgust. The stinking mass on the sidewalk didn’t move or make a sound but a little tongue came out and licked her hand when she placed water in front of him.

She took the dog she named “Julian” home and then to the vet. Throughout it all, the furry lump didn’t react, didn’t move. Underneath there somewhere was a dog.

Remarkably, Julian let them shave him without anesthesia. He was still and silent for 4 hours while they removed his “dirt armor.”

It turns out Julian is a poodle. He’s an old fellow with a heart condition half deaf and half blind. He’s also not the most well-mannered dog out there. But Valia says that’s all right. She said, “Some [dogs] may not fit into a fairytale ending. Some rescues get an imperfect ending.”

She also observed, “Julian is not the best dog there is. He is the best version of himself that ever was.” But that’s okay, she said, “It’s okay for him to be himself.” He’s imperfectly perfect.

Julian is now with Save a Greek Stray. Valia shared, “At the time of this video, Julian is still looking for a home. What puts most people off is not his fussy character, but his age and the heart condition he suffers from.”

To support Save a Greek Stray go here: https://www.saveagreekstray.org/en/support-us