When Sandy Williams, director of the Tunica Humane Society, received a call about an abandoned dog, she didn’t know what to expect. A local man had noticed the dog, Wilbur, whose family had moved away and left him behind and knew he needed help.

“He had stopped to feed him a couple of times but was very, very concerned for him,” Williams told The Dodo. “He had been alone at the property for weeks, searching the surrounding fields for food to survive.”

A Heartbreaking Discovery

Upon arriving at Wilbur’s former home, Williams saw a “Beware of the dog” sign posted at the front. Cautiously, she approached — and then saw the brokenhearted dog the sign warned about.

“When I arrived, Wilbur slowly came out from under the porch,” Williams said. “I was shocked to see his condition. Every rib on his body was showing. His face was literally sunk in from going so long without food and water. What I remember most was his tear-stained face. You could see so much hurt and confusion in his sad eyes. He looked like he was crying.”

Gaining Trust

Wilbur was terrified and confused, unsure of whether he could trust his rescuer. He stayed distant at first, but his hunger eventually overcame his fear. Slowly, he approached Williams to accept the food she offered. Once he was leashed, she safely got him into her car and rushed him to the vet for care.

The vet confirmed Wilbur was starving, traumatized, and suffering from heartworms but still holding on. The love and care he received from the people around him began to help him relax.

“At the vet’s office, I saw a flicker of hope in Wilbur’s eyes,” Williams said. “Even though he was terrified of everyone, he responded with a tiny wag of his tail. The greatest moment in the world for a rescuer. That moment when they realize you are only there to help.”

A New Beginning

Williams and her team at the Tunica Humane Society shared Wilbur’s story, and people across the country were moved by the sweet dog with tears in his eyes. Many offered to foster or adopt him, but a wonderful local family was found to give him the love he’d always deserved.

“He came around to everyone so quickly, once he realized he wasn’t going to be mistreated any longer,” Williams said. “An amazing, loving family has adopted Wilbur. They have four other big dogs, and Wilbur went right into their home like he had always been there. He has stolen every heart in the home and everyone that meets him.”