Last month, animal rescuer Citlalli Jocelyn Vazquez Mercad arrived near her home in a part of the city where many stray dogs live. As part of her work with the group Defensa Nacional de Lomitos, she brings them food and water and monitors their health.
While doing so, Mercad met a mother dog and her adorable puppies.
Although initially four pups were found there with the mother, a fifth, smaller pup appeared. Unlike his siblings, who had dark spots on their coats, this puppy was completely gray.
The mother dog and her puppies enjoyed a meal together, little did they realize that their lives were about to change.
That day, Mercad and her colleagues decided to bring the mother dog and her puppies to their shelter for safekeeping, and when the time was right, find them new homes.
The brown puppy, who was struggling to keep up with his older siblings, loved sleeping in his rescuer’s arms that night.
But no one knew at that time that he was hiding a beautiful secret.
The next day, all the puppies were bathed to give them a fresh start on their path to a happy new life as beloved pets.
However, when it came time to euthanize the brown pup, his rescuers were stunned.
He really wasn’t gray at all:
The “gray” puppy was actually a brilliant shade of white.
“We had no idea at all! It was a big surprise,” Mercad told The Dodo. “We soon realized that the discoloration was just grease and grime.”
The freshly cleaned, first brown pup was named Polar.
All the puppies, which had even lost their brown color, were given names and clean bills of health from the vet. And thanks to the video of Polar’s transformation, which soon went viral, they brought the public’s attention to the adoptable puppies that often need them.
“Polar did some magic with his video,” Mercad said. “Thanks to that demonstration, we were able to find excellent homes for three puppies.”
Rescuers hope Polar and his siblings will soon join others in finding their forever homes – and so will their mother, who has been spayed.
Their future, like the polar’s clean white coat, has never looked brighter.
“We can all help – even small acts of caring can make a big difference,” Mercad said. “Polar is proof that, with love and attention, a sentient being’s life can be completely transformed. Just like him, his mother and his younger siblings deserve the opportunity to have a home full of love.”
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