Not everyone (or every dog) has had it easy. While some are lucky enough to be living the good life now, there’s usually a backstory that tells the tale of another time. No one gets through life without a few scars.
Herschel’s story starts grim but ends so completely and totally different and far off from where he started. He’s one heck of a pup and although he’s been through h**l and back, I think he’s made it out alive to tell the tale. And it’s just the middle of his story, things are about to get a lot better.
At 5 years old, Herschel was chained up in a backyard. He was abandoned and alone, and the bottom front row of his teeth was basically non-existent. They appear to be whittled down to the gums, raw and broken, most likely as a result from the pup trying to free himself from his chains by means of gnawing them off. After being left for dead and returned to the shelter once, and then shortly thereafter, twice, Herschel’s fate wasn’t looking like it was full of promise.
His luck was about to change, however. It was when the non-profit shelter came in and completely redirected the course of his life. With the help of YouTuber Rocky Kanaka who is an advocate for rescue animals, Herschel was selected for some extra special treatment. He was chosen to go out on the dog equivalent of an all expenses paid trip to a resort in the tropics for a week! Seriously. The pup got a full day out exploring the exciting wonders of snow, getting free hugs, and then getting to go on a road trip to meet his forever family the next state over.
But, before they hit the road to meet his new family, there was just one more thing that had to go down, and that was a trip to the beach. An opportunity to dig his paws into the sand, feast his eyes on the moving, breathing, living body of never-ending sparkling water and feel the sunshine down and warm up his fur. Yes, this was Herschel’s chance to see the ocean for his very first time.
And his reaction? Probably the cutest, most outward display of unbridled, unharnessed kinetic joy, ricocheting in every possible direction. The pup’s happiness is so obvious and so endearing to watch, it makes you feel like a kid all over again. He sounds like Chewbacca, and jumps around up and down, unable to sit, stand or remain still. Herschel has no idea what he’s looking at but every fiber of his body wants to get closer to investigate.
“He was biting the waves and jumping in and out like a dolphin. I don’t know if he’s dolphin or dinosaur, or Chewbacca or teddy bear, but I do know this: it brings happy tears to my eyes knowing that he’ll now be loved forever,” says Rocky about his fave furry friend.
Click on the video below to fall in love with Herschel’s reaction.
