Sadly, not all adopted dogs find a forever home. Last September, a family with four kids adopted a 3-year-old brindle boxer mix, called Rhino Lighting (Rhino for short). He lived with the family for a few months, but they took him back to the shelter because they felt that he was a little too active to live with their small children. However, to make Rhino’s next transition easier, one little girl had filled a notebook with a set of instructions and other important information, and it shows how precious their bond actually was.
“Hi, if you are reading this, you must own Rhino now,” the girl started. “He was my puppy. I really hope he is in a good environment. I really miss him. I wish he knew that he was a pretty puppy.”
She then explains how to take care of Rhino. For example, the girl talks about taking him out for a run two or three times each day, bathe him once a month, and, of course, give him lots of love. “Rhino is a good dog and he loves cuddles. Just don’t tease him with treats — he will start to bark like crazy, then you have to just try and calm him.”
While it’s sad that Rhino was taken away from this girl who loved him so much, he only had to spend a weekend inside the shelter. Another family adopted him, and they even took the notebook! “They’re going to keep his name Rhino Lightning,” Deann Shepherd, director of marketing and communications for the Humane Society of Utah, told The Dodo. “They’re going to make sure they give him a bath and daily runs and everything that she said. It’s really cute.”
More info: Facebook (h/t: dodo)
Meet Rhino, a 3-year-old brindle boxer mix who had to go back to the shelter because he was too active for his new family
He arrived at the Humane Society of Utah with a notebook full of instructions and notes, from a girl who loved him with all her heart
“Hi, if you are reading this, you must own Rhino now. He was my puppy. I really hope he is in a good environment. I really miss him. I wish he knew that he was a pretty puppy.”
“Rhino is a really intelligent puppy. He is a very amazing puppy. Rhino needs lots of attention. He loves people.”
“Rhino is a good dog and he loves cuddles. Just don’t tease him with treats — he will start to bark like crazy, then you have to just try and calm him.”
“Rhino is a striped dream,” she continued.” His cheeks make a lot of slobber. Please tell Rhino that I love and miss him every night.”
“His full name is Rhino Lightning, then your last name. Please don’t rename him.”
“He likes sleeping under blankets. Rhino also hates kennels. Sometimes he gets really happy and runs around you.”
She tried really hard to express herself, but some pages were a bit hard to understand
Rhino was lucky enough to be adopted a second time, only a few days after coming back to the shelter
His new owners took the notebook with them and promised to try to follow all the instructions. They even kept his name!
It took only a couple of months before Rhino developed a bond with the girl that will last a lifetime
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I don't want to dismiss/condemn the parents. With 4 kids, chances are they were never quite prepared for the time investment. The poor kid probably cried her eyes out and bravely bucked out and wrote the notebook. Hang on to that fighting spirit and she shall go far in this life. <3 to her and to the dog's new owners
As a 13 old girl who had a choice to put down my cat cause she was in a lot of pain I cry my eyes out every night but at least i had achoice
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it's horrible that people get a dog and give it away because it's 'too active' people like that shouldn't be allowed to adopt one. But the little girl will surely grow into a dog-loving woman someday 😁
Wait a minute: everybody is allowed to make a mistake, and not to realize that they could not handle a too active dog. Who knows: maybe they had only known less active dogs before, or had unexpected financial or organizational trouble. When they realized it, they did the right thing by giving it back so that it could be taken care of properly by somebody who could.
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I read in the letter "any tennis balls he rips those up in a day, but if you get him a green netball he cant"
All you people showing so much understanding for the dog and none for the humans involved, it is so easy to Monday-morning quarterback a complete stranger's decision, isn't it? "They didn't make the decision I would have made so they are flat out wrong!!" I wonder how many people would say that about you and your decisions? Some food for thought: There is no information given about the girl's birth order, but I'm willing to bet that she was the oldest, which means there were possibly THREE children younger than her. It's possible that "too active" meant getting excited and knocking the little ones down (or into corners of tables, etc.). We have no idea if these people had to make an ER visit to sew up a little kid's forehead or not. I am a HUGE dog person. My first was a large dog that I did not want to have his tail docked. Til he gave my toddler face bruises from wagging so hard. Don't judge when you have no understanding of the situation.
I hate this kind of people. The dog is trouble..... Lets Get rid of it. No respect for life at all. Thank God someone with sense and heart adopted right away!
The family returned him to the shelter for him to be homed with an appropriate family. The dog was not just dumped. The original family did have respect for the dog's life - hence they gave him a second chance.
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Sad :( that letter breaks my heart. Make sure you have the time to train these precious dogs before you take them home. Even the wackiest doggie can be trained ❤
Looking at the video he seemed well trained. I suspect it was more as he grew up he needed long walks everyday to burn off all that energy. Boxers can run for hours, with four small kids when are the parents supposed to find the time.
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Does anyone else find that 'hard to understand' page perfectly legible? "Any tennis balls he rips them apart in one day. But if you get him a green nerf ball he can't."
This just made me cry so hard for him and that little girl. She did right by him and that's the important part here. She did what she could to make sure that even though he couldn't stay with her family, he still had someone looking out for his best interests. Kudos to her! She's a good kid!
At least they didn't just dump the poor baby on the side of the road and drove off, like some heartless monsters do.
at least they did the bare minimum a decent human would do?
Load More Replies... Well, maybe the dog was too aggressive and perhaps bit a kid....than the parents are neglectful. The girl who loved him is special.....can the parents who raised her be that awful? He wasn't chained or dumped.....options taken by far too many.
I wish people didn't treat animals as toys, once it's not so fun anymore they just throw them away. An animal is for life, not for the moment.
“He really likes tennis balls, but he breaks them in one play. He can’t do that with a nerf ball.”
I can`t believe someone can be so heartless! Taking a puppy for your kids and then return it to the shelter for being "too active"! The pet is a member of the family and you should consider such things carefully before taking it! My sister and me are going to get a puppy in May. In the letter we wrote to our parents, asking them for a dog, we promised we`ll even starve to save pocket money for our new pet`s needs if needed:) But no matter what problems you have, the pet is not something you can abandon. Some people who are forced to live in the streets still take a good care of their dogs. If they can, those parents also could.
My heart melted reading this... It's a shame that he had to be brought back to the shelter.. but I'm so glad it wasn't because he wasn't genuinely wanted or loved! Glad he's found a new home :)
The lesson they taught their children is to dispose of those that become inconvenient. There may come a time when the choice is between a nursing home or being able to live with the children. Unless it's too inconvenient.
I don't want to dismiss/condemn the parents. With 4 kids, chances are they were never quite prepared for the time investment. The poor kid probably cried her eyes out and bravely bucked out and wrote the notebook. Hang on to that fighting spirit and she shall go far in this life. <3 to her and to the dog's new owners
As a 13 old girl who had a choice to put down my cat cause she was in a lot of pain I cry my eyes out every night but at least i had achoice
Load More Replies... it's horrible that people get a dog and give it away because it's 'too active' people like that shouldn't be allowed to adopt one. But the little girl will surely grow into a dog-loving woman someday 😁
Wait a minute: everybody is allowed to make a mistake, and not to realize that they could not handle a too active dog. Who knows: maybe they had only known less active dogs before, or had unexpected financial or organizational trouble. When they realized it, they did the right thing by giving it back so that it could be taken care of properly by somebody who could.
Load More Replies... I read in the letter "any tennis balls he rips those up in a day, but if you get him a green netball he cant"
All you people showing so much understanding for the dog and none for the humans involved, it is so easy to Monday-morning quarterback a complete stranger's decision, isn't it? "They didn't make the decision I would have made so they are flat out wrong!!" I wonder how many people would say that about you and your decisions? Some food for thought: There is no information given about the girl's birth order, but I'm willing to bet that she was the oldest, which means there were possibly THREE children younger than her. It's possible that "too active" meant getting excited and knocking the little ones down (or into corners of tables, etc.). We have no idea if these people had to make an ER visit to sew up a little kid's forehead or not. I am a HUGE dog person. My first was a large dog that I did not want to have his tail docked. Til he gave my toddler face bruises from wagging so hard. Don't judge when you have no understanding of the situation.
I hate this kind of people. The dog is trouble..... Lets Get rid of it. No respect for life at all. Thank God someone with sense and heart adopted right away!
The family returned him to the shelter for him to be homed with an appropriate family. The dog was not just dumped. The original family did have respect for the dog's life - hence they gave him a second chance.
Load More Replies... Sad :( that letter breaks my heart. Make sure you have the time to train these precious dogs before you take them home. Even the wackiest doggie can be trained ❤
Looking at the video he seemed well trained. I suspect it was more as he grew up he needed long walks everyday to burn off all that energy. Boxers can run for hours, with four small kids when are the parents supposed to find the time.
Load More Replies... Does anyone else find that 'hard to understand' page perfectly legible? "Any tennis balls he rips them apart in one day. But if you get him a green nerf ball he can't."
This just made me cry so hard for him and that little girl. She did right by him and that's the important part here. She did what she could to make sure that even though he couldn't stay with her family, he still had someone looking out for his best interests. Kudos to her! She's a good kid!
At least they didn't just dump the poor baby on the side of the road and drove off, like some heartless monsters do.
at least they did the bare minimum a decent human would do?
Load More Replies... Well, maybe the dog was too aggressive and perhaps bit a kid....than the parents are neglectful. The girl who loved him is special.....can the parents who raised her be that awful? He wasn't chained or dumped.....options taken by far too many.
I wish people didn't treat animals as toys, once it's not so fun anymore they just throw them away. An animal is for life, not for the moment.
“He really likes tennis balls, but he breaks them in one play. He can’t do that with a nerf ball.”
I can`t believe someone can be so heartless! Taking a puppy for your kids and then return it to the shelter for being "too active"! The pet is a member of the family and you should consider such things carefully before taking it! My sister and me are going to get a puppy in May. In the letter we wrote to our parents, asking them for a dog, we promised we`ll even starve to save pocket money for our new pet`s needs if needed:) But no matter what problems you have, the pet is not something you can abandon. Some people who are forced to live in the streets still take a good care of their dogs. If they can, those parents also could.
My heart melted reading this... It's a shame that he had to be brought back to the shelter.. but I'm so glad it wasn't because he wasn't genuinely wanted or loved! Glad he's found a new home :)
The lesson they taught their children is to dispose of those that become inconvenient. There may come a time when the choice is between a nursing home or being able to live with the children. Unless it's too inconvenient.
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