One day, his owners decided to move and leave the senior pup behind. They packed up their things and drove off, never to return. Left was poor Pumba, lonely and confused

Pumba couldn’t believe that his family had abandoned him. Surely, the would come back for him. And so he waited, and waited, and waited.

Soon, days turned to weeks and weeks to months without Pumba’s family returning. But Pumba refused to give up. Even after a year of waiting and fending for himself, the pup stayed in his old neighbourhood and would keep close to his old house in case his family came back.

Some of Pumba’s neighbours felt bad for the heartbroken pup and would offer him scraps of food, but Pumba still lived a rough and dangerous life all alone on the streets. Luckily, Hope for Paws (HFP) eventually found out about the poor senior pup and rushed to help.

HFP members JoAnn Wiltz and Lisa Arturo tracked down Pumba and tried to persuade him to step into their cage.

Pumba was wary of the two strangers and was unwilling to step into the cage, even after Wiltz and Arturo tried to lure him in with food. Wiltz and Arturo decided to try a more personal approach and slowly began gaining his trust by offering him food and letting him eat straight out of their hands. Once Pumba realized that the two women were there to help him, he allowed them to put a leash on him and carry him to their car.

After rescuing Pumba, the pair brought him to the vet where he was given a thorough examination and the care he needed. He was then placed in a loving foster home where he has been given all the love, care and attention he’s been lacking.

In this new, safe and affectionate environment, Pumba has turned into a bright, happy and loving pup, and it’s clear that he finally feels happy and secure. Pumba is forever grateful to his rescuers and is looking forward to spending the rest of his life surrounded by people who love and appreciate him.