Matted dog ‘craved attention’ at Florida shelter. Then Air Force veteran fell in love
When a small, white dog was found roaming the streets of Tampa, it was clear it had been a long time since he was loved.
Wrapped in matted hair, the pup was brought to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, according to a Feb. 7 Facebook post.
His mats pulled on his skin, and the rescue learned he was heartworm positive, according to the post.
Staff members named him Wylar and pulled out their grooming equipment.
“Based on his teeth, we are estimating Wylar is about 1.5 years old,” Regan Blessinger, a spokesperson for the humane society told McClatchy News in an email. “Matting like that does not happen quickly so either he was a stray for a very long time, or not being properly cared for in a home.”
In order to get all the mats cut away, Wylar was sedated by the veterinary team and shaved, the rescue said.
As the fur fell to the ground, he was instantly relieved of the pain — and started to show his personality.
“Wylar craved attention and affection, immediately crawling into staff’s laps,” the rescue said.
Blessinger said Wylar is “such a big love! He loves to play and if he could be held all day or in a lap, he would be so happy!”
Now that he was clean, Wylar needed to find a home. That’s when Joe came in the front door.
Joe, whose last name was not given, is a 100% disabled Air Force veteran after sustaining physical injuries, Blessinger said, and he is an “avid adopter” from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
So far, he has taken home animals “from toothless senior cats to disabled poodles,” Blessinger said.
Joe saw Wylar on the rescue’s website and told the staff he was interested in having a smaller dog as a companion.
“Wylar wasted no time crawling right into Joe’s lap during the meet and greet and from that moment he knew,” Blessinger said.
It was a perfect fit. Wylar spent five days at the rescue before finding his new home.
“Wylar is thriving after his shave and was just adopted by Joe, a disabled veteran, who is excited and ready to get to know and love Wylar,” the rescue said.
This story was originally published February 12, 2024 at 10:45 AM with the headline "Matted dog ‘craved attention’ at Florida shelter. Then Air Force veteran fell in love."
