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Family Adopt Dog From Sick Owner on CraigslistâThen Learned Her Tragic Past
A family who got a dog from Craigslist after the previous owner was battling cancer learned that the small dog came with more than a sweet face. The pup had packed on trauma that was undisclosed to them.
Coco, the now 10-year-old poodle mix, was about 3 years old when the family brought her home. Her previous owner was fighting cancer and the husband no longer wanted to take care of the dog. It wasn't until bringing Coco home that the family learned this pup had never known love before, a TikTok video posted late last month by user @koohry explains. She showed signs of abuse.
Scared and timid, Coco refused to step on the grass, which they later learned was because she was forced into a cage all day and only relieved herself in there. A trip to the veterinarian also revealed the dog was pregnant at the time, but because they found out too late, the vet terminated the pups during a procedure.
Henry, a family member, told Newsweek via email that Coco's pregnancy was completely hidden from them. Neither the Craigslist post nor the previous owner told his sister and mom about the pregnancy when they went to get Coco. However, Henry wonders if the pup's previous owners didn't know themselves as she was neglected.
The family continued to learn about Coco's troubles including her breathing and digestive issues. Plus, the pup was completely terrified of men. All the signs led the family to believe Coco grew up at a puppy mill.
"We do not know if the previous owners got her from a puppy mill, adopted Coco from another owner who got her from a puppy mill or brought her from a pet shop that gets their dogs from a puppy mill," Henry told Newsweek. "We just know that the signs point to her being from a puppy mill or a similar abusive/toxic environment."
Luckily, all of Coco's past struggles would vanish as soon as the family brought her home as they showered her with love and acceptance.
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"Coco opened up to my mother and sister more quickly since they were women, however, she was always lethargic (due to pregnancy) and a little nervous for several weeks," Henry said. "I would say within several months she was comfortable, and somewhere along the way truly accepted us as her family."
But that's not to say every day is perfect. Coco still has her moments that display signs of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Henry said she'll shrink her head down in fear when an object or a person's hand is above her head. She also isn't fully comfortable showing the family her belly and is still afraid of other dogs and strangers. But the progress she's made is remarkable.
TikTok Users React
Coco's story, which brought in over 670,000 views and 29,300 likes on TikTok, prompted users to praise the family for giving this dog a second chance.
"Poor baby. Thank you for giving her the life she deserves," wrote one user.
Another added: "Thank you for being the pawrents Coco deserves. She's a lucky girl! So many of them aren't so lucky."
A third user pointed out the reality that happens to so many dogs with trauma: "They improve but they never fully recover."
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