When it comes down to it, our pets just want to be loved. They might not behave perfectly all of the time, but they’re incredibly affectionate, and all they want is to be treated with the same warmth and devotion that they show.

Unfortunately, some people just don’t “get” animals. They think they’re annoying and nasty. They don’t stop to understand why a pet is behaving in a certain way – they just know they don’t like it.

One dog who found herself on the wrong side of an animal hater was 2-year-old German Shepherd, Zuzu. The little pup had lost her biological father, and was going through a difficult time. She whined a lot, and eventually jumped into her neighbor’s garden, trying to escape from her home.

This neighbor was far from understanding. Instead of returning Zuzu to her owners, they called the animal shelter.

Zuzu was taken away to the Downey Animal Care Center in California. The volunteers assumed that she was a stray, especially as the young pup was too nervous to interact with any of them.

Speaking to The Dodo, one of the shelter volunteers said:

“She is a friendly girl but I sensed sadness and confusion. Most dogs zoom around the yard. She treaded softly, nervous to look around.”

But then the unexpected happened. One day, a family came to visit the shelter in search of a dog. Of course, this is a normal occurrence for Downey Animal Care, but Zuzu’s reaction left volunteers taken aback.

The German Shepherd suddenly perked up. She dashed over to the fence where the family stood and stuck her nose through the holes. She wagged her tail excitedly. Her transformation was astonishing.

It seemed that the family also knew Zuzu. They petted her head and talked to her warmly.

The volunteers thought that something incredible had happened – Zuzu’s owners had returned to take her home. But unfortunately, this turned out to not be true. A trainer at the center said:

“They didn’t want her back because she kept escaping.”

It was a heartbreaking moment. Zuzu’s owners turned away from her and continued to search for another dog.

The family wasn’t prepared to help Zuzu get through her issues. They had given up on her.

Luckily, the shelter hadn’t. They arranged for a rescue organization to take Zuzu. They knew that with enough healing time, this little girl would return to her cheery self and make a great pet for another family.

Although it’s not clear whether Zuzu has found her fur-ever home just yet, we have high hopes for her future. Though she was discarded by her original owners, there are plenty of patient, selfless people in the world who are searching for a dog like Zuzu right now.

It’s unfortunate that Zuzu’s early life wasn’t perfect. Sadly, many “nuisance” dogs are not treated with the love and care they need to thrive. Instead of arranging for training, many owners simply give up.

Luckily for Zuzu, she has a new chance to meet a human who is perfect for her. In the meantime, we can bet that she’s being looked after by the shelter’s volunteers until that day comes. Her story will have a happy ending – it just hasn’t quite happened yet.

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Source: Animal Channel, Inside Edition, Bored Panda, The Dodo, Buzzfeed News