Timmy was found as a stray on the streets of Argentina in 2016 emaciated, mange-ridden, and scared of everyone and everything. He was so weak, he could barely stand. But a dog rescuer took him in and shared his story on Facebook hoping someone could give him a home.
That’s how Jessica Rojo Savard heard about him. She already had a cat and dog and told herself she was done adopting for a while, but she just couldn’t say no to Timmy. She knew it would be hard for him to find a home with the way he looked, so she contacted his rescuer.
She had to wait a few weeks for the dog’s mange to no longer be contagious, but then Jessica went to pick Timmy up! She took him to the vet, and he checked out aside from the issues she already knew about. He was so skinny when rescued but had already put on a little weight.
The secretary at the vet’s office said that the dog looked more like a meerkat than a dog, and that’s when he was given his proper name, Timon, after the meerkat in “The Lion King.” 🙂
Timmy finally arrived at his new home, but it was very obvious he still had a long way to go. He was still terrified of everyone and refused to go near any family member. Jessica couldn’t even sweep; if she reached for the broom, the poor dog would cower and whine.
It was clear Timmy had suffered abuse and neglect at the hands of humans at some point in his life, so it would take some time for him to come around. And his new dog sister, Juanita, could sense that he needed some love.
“I kept Juanita’s food on a chair so that Timmy did not binge eat and be sick to his tiny stomach, so after devouring his portion, he would stare sadly at Juanita on the chair,” Jessica told The Dodo. “He couldn’t even stand on his hind legs to beg, but Juanita took food from her dish, placed it on the chair and nudged it to the floor. It was truly humbling to witness.”
At times it seemed Timmy would never warm up to his new surroundings and family, but his personality started to shine through as time passed and he became healthier. The once scared dog turned into an outgoing, sweet little boy. 🙂
His transformation was nothing short of a miracle, and even the neighbors took notice of his progress week by week. Timmy gained some weight, his hair started to grow longer, and he looked so soft and shiny!
Timmy loves going on walks and now greets everyone he passes! He’s come such a long way from where he once was.
And to top it all off, a year after Timmy was adopted, Jessica found out she was pregnant. Timmy seemed to sense it before anyone as he stayed by her side awaiting his human sister to arrive. Baby Julia is now 11-months-old, and she and Timmy are inseparable. 🙂
“They are the best of friends, up to the point that I feel a bit left out,” Jessica said. “Sometimes Julia would push me aside to get to him or Timmy will climb over me to reach her.”
h/t The Dodo
