Solo, a dog without a permanent home, has spent all his life wandering the streets of Los Angeles. As he grew older and weaker, at the age of 11, he no longer had the energy to play around with his fellow stray dogs. Hence, he lingered on a woman’s porch waiting for help.
One day, a kind-hearted woman stumbled upon a senior dog at her doorstep. She took him in and gave him the name Solovino, which translates to “he arrived alone” in Spanish. However, after several days of Solo staying put on her doorstep, the woman reached out to Rocket Dog Rescue for help. The rescue organization agreed to take him in, and he was flown to San Francisco where he could receive the care and love he deserved.
After being placed in a foster family, Solo spent 18 months there and was adopted out multiple times but always returned. He had a hard time calming down and no one could figure out why. Then, Carol Messina stumbled upon his internet portrait and immediately fell in love with the cute puppy. Being a big ‘Star Wars’ fan, she was excited to see that his name was Solovino and decided to name him Solo. Upon meeting him, Carol realized how sad he was and knew that he was meant to be with her forever.
When Solo finally arrived at his new forever home, he was filled with fear. Having spent his entire life on the streets, he had developed a natural sense of suspicion towards others.
According to Messina, when her furry friend first came to live with her, he was quite timid and spent a long time feeling sorry for himself. He showed no interest in interacting with other dogs, humans, or even cats, and would tremble in fear if someone tried to touch him. As Messina got to know him better, she realized that his physical condition was worse than what his previous caregiver had reported, particularly his teeth and hearing abilities, as well as his ears.
Solo’s rescuers and foster caretakers had no idea that he was suffering from a severe hearing impairment and dental issues caused by aging and illness. His inability to hear or tolerate the pain made it difficult for him to express any kind of excitement. However, after receiving medical attention for his teeth, Solo’s behavior underwent a remarkable transformation.
Currently, Solo enjoys engaging in playtime and exploring his surroundings, while also making acquaintances with fellow dogs. It appears that Solo has come to terms with his present circumstances and has embraced the idea that they will remain constant. As a result, he exudes a greater sense of contentment than he did previously.
According to Messina, the locals often comment on how different he looks now compared to before. For a few months, he didn’t show any signs of happiness such as grinning or panting. However, nowadays he’s always smiling, playing around, and sprinting across the yard multiple times every day.
According to Messina, she is extremely happy with the progress that the dog has made under her care. This has inspired her to take in many senior dogs that need hospice care, which has turned out to be the best decision she has ever made. Messina added that she is proud of the dog’s improvement and feels grateful for the opportunity to care for older dogs in need of love and attention.
