Things can get pretty confusing when your owner opens the car door for you and then drives away without another thought. Where do you go? What do you do? What did you do wrong?

Albus must have been asking himself those questions after he was left in an unfamiliar driveway with nothing he knew in sight. He did all he could think to do – and found himself a hiding place to shut out all the bad things in the world.

Luckily for him, someone with a kind heart found him, and connected him with people that could help. Because he was illegally abandoned, Albus was entrusted to a local animal control officer (ACO) to investigate further and care for him. And when Albus didn’t find an adopter while he was there, the ACO turned to CHS, who welcomed him as part of its ACO partnership, which provides pro bono veterinary and behavioral care, adoption services, professional development workshops, pet food and more.

When Albus was transferred from animal control to CHS, he was nervous to be in a car again—who could blame him? Though he started off on the shy side, he quickly learned to trust and began wagging his tail even for new people, eager to meet them. He was also leaning into the pats and scratches he received everywhere he went!

At CHS, Albus received his medical and behavioral assessments, and after dental surgery for a chipped tooth and a neuter, he was made available for foster until adoption. Taking him out of the shelter environment did wonders for an already reinvigorated dog. Albus became a model pet (literally and figuratively!): he and his volunteer foster family had great fun together, posing for photo shoots and venturing around town for fun backdrops and great sniffing spots. His foster family reported that Albus was really enjoying car rides again: they changed from something that promised fear, to something that promised fun!

A month after he’d been left to fend for himself, Albus was adopted by a lovely family (a friend of one of his fosters, in fact!), with whom he’ll spend his days lounging around as a shop dog, supervising his humans while they work and greeting new people when they come to the shop, and he spends his nights cuddling with his new favorite people and three new cat siblings.

Investigating and preventing animal abuse. Finding just the right family—or shelter or rescue placement—to take on an at-risk pet. Reunifying and networking resources to keep families together with their furry friends. It’s all made possible by your local ACO. Happy ACO Appreciation Week (April 9-16)! Albus, CHS, and countless other pets are immensely grateful for you!