At many shelters, dogs with medical complications can be some of the last ones to get adopted. People are on the lookout for a dog that has more energy and can get around more easily.

This means that dogs with mobility issues can often be left out when it comes to finding a new home.

Charlie is a dog who beat these odds.

At only seven years old, Charlie has some years left.

Unfortunately, the little Shih Tzu, originally named Simon, had some physical challenges. And while Charlie did find a home after first coming to the shelter, it was just not meant to be.

It was thought that an injury combined with his young but aging body was the cause of his limited mobility.

Unforeseen complications

Sadly, his new owners were unable to bend over and pick poor Charlie up to carry him up the stairs in his new home.

This resulted in Charlie’s return to the shelter, and him being back at square one when it came to finding his forever home.

Charlie starts to lose hope

Charlie took it pretty hard and lost his optimistic and happy outlook when it came to life. He withdrew and refused to make eye contact, even with the shelter staff.

All he would do is sit there and stare at the wall. Hopelessness had overtaken his life.

Then, one day, it all changed.

Mackenzie Purdy had come into the shelter, and while there had seen Charlie and that he seemed to need some love.

Looking to adopt another dog, she decided to take the time and see if she could get Charlie to come out of his shell.

“He was a bit older and he walked a little funny, so I had a feeling that not many people would be interested in him,” Mackenzie said to The Dodo. “So many people won’t be interested in the dogs that don’t come to the front of the cage at the shelter.”

Charlie didn’t make it easy

At first, Charlie seemed determined to keep to himself, even after Mackenzie took him out into the yard to play.

Eventually, though, he started showing more interest in Mackenzie.

“I asked the shelter staff if I could spend some time with him out in the yard,” she said. “He was very reserved, and not very interested in me. He did not show much in the way of affection, but he did do a very little tail wag when I walked closer to him.”

Then Mackenzie had a great idea. She brought her other dog, Baxter, to the shelter. Charlie lit up right away.

It was at this point that she decided to adopt Charlie and take him home.

“Charlie was wagging his tail more, and Baxter was interested in him,” she recalls. “They told me I could come the next day to bring him home.”

It seemed that all it took was for Charlie to meet the right person and the right dog.

Soon he was running around with Baxter, trying to keep up, and smiling the whole way. Plus, he gets along great with the rest of Mackenzie’s family.

“He has been adjusting well,” Mackenzie said. “My boyfriend and I have been taking him on short walks and picking him up when we encounter steps. He is a very good boy. He is very quiet and goes with the flow.”

See Charlie’s sweetness in action in the video below!

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Sources: Facebook – Associated Humane Tinton Falls, The Dodo