Dog surrendered with heartbreaking 'owners manual' gets another chance
His new family is "following all the rules."
— -- When a three-year-old dog named Rhino Lightning was surrendered by his family to the Utah Humane Society, he came with something very unusual: A colorful little notebook with pages of information about the pup, written by an eight-year-old girl.
"We've had people bring in animals with a toy or maybe a letter," said Deann Shepherd, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Humane Society of Utah. "But this is the first time a dog came in with a notebook from a child with instructions."
Sixteen pages of a 2 x 4 inch notebook's worth of notes came with the dog.
"Please don't change his name," she said in the notes. "He likes sleeping under blankets. Take him on at least 2 or 3 runs a day. Tell Rhino I love and miss him every night."
The little girl called Rhino Lightning a "striped dream."
Shepherd told ABC News that Rhino had been adopted from the same place in December by a family with four children. Rhino, at 65 pounds, is "unaware of his size" and was not the right match for the family.
Rhino has since been adopted again and his new family, Shepherd said, is "following all the rules."
Melanie Hill of Clearfield, Utah, saw Rhino's story on the local news and said to her fiance "that's my dog."
After visiting Rhino Lightning at the humane society and making sure he got along with the dog they already had, Bentleigh, Rhino became Hill's on Monday. A dog sibling was one of the requirements set forth by the little girl and, according to Hill, the two are getting along very well.
In an unexpected twist, Rhino had brought Hill peace with something she's been struggling with her whole life. Hill was adopted and said she's had "bitterness" toward her birth mother. Now, she knows how much giving up someone you love hurts.
"This little girl has totally changed my thought pattern about my birth mother," Hill said. "My heart breaks for this little girl having to give up her best friend."
As for Rhino Lightning, Hill said hers is his forever home. "I want this little girl to know her puppy is smothered in love. Neighbors have brought toys and treats, everyone comes to visit him. He is safe, and he is so, so loved."