Griffin was one of 20 dogs rescued from a case of animal cruelty and abuse. Angela Marie, the founder of Angela’s Ark, a nonprofit animal rescue in Charlotte, North Carolina, saw Griff’s photo on Facebook. She went straight to the shelter and got him out.
On Griff’s first day, Angela realized he was a more complicated case than she had anticipated. His skin was infected, and almost all of his fur was gone. He also had behavioral issues. His spirit had been broken, and he avoided all human contact.
Griff did not like being touched. He was in such distress at the vet’s office. As a result, he refused to leave his crate. As a result, the vet could not conduct a proper health examination.
Griffin and Angela both had a stressful first few days. Angela, on the other hand, refused to abandon Griff. Instead, she spent every night outside his kennel, offering him food to get him used to her presence. After several weeks, Griff was still struggling to learn the daily routine.
Nonetheless, Angela’s patience began to pay off as Griff started to feel at ease in the house. Finally, he got out of his kennel and snuggled in a box.
Angela celebrated small victories like getting him to eat out of her hands, navigating the stairs, wearing a leash, and going for walks outside. He discovered that he enjoyed being outside after overcoming his fear of it. He’d find his spot and lie there for hours.
Finally, Angela decided he was ready for adoption, and a woman named Sarah Wetherell took him in. Sarah already had a cat and two dogs.
Sarah, like Angela, gave Griff time to adjust to his new surroundings and siblings. He gradually came out of his shell after that. He first developed close to Bear, his fur sibling. He soon let his humans pet him and snuggle with him.
Screenshot from griffin_the_great via Instagram
