Eric Maus is a full-time screenwriter from Brooklyn and works part-time as a dog walker. One day, while he was walking Lily and Gouda, he found an abandoned dog with a note next to her.
You won't believe what the note read...
Abandoned Dog
"When I was walking up to the waterfall, across the bridge, I saw this really big, chubby pit bull tied to the tree," Maus said in an interview.
The dog was skinny and had no water or food.
No Owner In Sight
Maus didn't know what to do with the dog. He hoped that the owner was somewhere around.
“I looked around, and I called out to her, ‘Hey, where’s your owner?’” he recalled. Maus knew he had to help the poor dog.
Something Was Off
“Prospect Park isn’t a good spot for a dog to be alone,” he explained in an interview.
The pit bull wasn't moving at all, which was worrying. But, then, Maus looked at the tree and noticed something.
Mamas
He saw a small piece of paper hanging from the tree where the leash was tied.
The note talked about the pit bull, whose name was Mamas, and said that she was a very friendly dog. The person who left her at the park had no other option and hoped that someone would help her. "Take me home. I'm a great dog," the note read.
Friendly Dog
"Don't let my size scare you. I'm sweet." Maus could tell that the dog was indeed friendly and sweet.
It was visible that her owner cared about her but couldn't keep her for some reason. But how could he help the pooch?
He Made A Post
“The pit bull was being so sweet and so gentle,” he said. “She was just laying there, tongue out, so cute.” Maus took a photo of her and posted it on the Facebook page of his neighborhood.
"Found this dog tied to the tree near the boathouse in Prospect Park," he wrote under the photo. "There's a note on the tree that says take him. Who do we call?"
Rescued
After five minutes, Maus received a message from a person who wanted to meet the pooch.
Sean Casey Animal Rescue said they have a spot available for the pit bull. Maus had to walk the dog through the park to a car that was sent to pick her up.
Safe Place
When we took her out of the car, it seemed like she was ready.” Not only she was ready, but she “basically jumped out of the car — which was a really good sign. She knew that she was safe.” Maus recalled.
So what happened next?
Maus's Theory
"This dog was incredibly lucky," said Casey, the owner of the shelter. He explained that they receive several calls a week for dogs that have been tied out here or cats left in boxes.
Maus's theory was that the pit bull's owner couldn't afford to take care of her anymore and decided to leave her in a park with a note, "please take her home."
Bladder Infection
The vets discovered that Mamas had a bladder infection and needed to lose a few pounds.
Casey added that she would be up for adoption as soon as she was sprayed and her bladder infection cleared. But that wasn't all.
Sweet Girl
Mamas has become quite famous, thanks to Maus's post. A shelter spokesperson said that she is "settling in well, and she likes everybody and everything."
Casey hopes that Mamas will find a new family soon. “She’s a total sweetheart, with big brown doe-y eyes,” he said in an interview.
Harmless
She might look intimidating, but she has a kind heart and would never hurt anyone.
Casey added that many owners realize they can't afford to take care of their pets anymore and abandon them.
Casey's Thoughts
He wishes these people would reach out to a local shelter instead and ask them for help.
Maus said that he "would've loved to adopt Mamas," but sadly, he can't do it at the moment.
A New Home
"It's moments like these where I want to raise awareness about adopting rather than buying your next dog or cat. Adopted pets are the most loving pets there are," he added.
Fortunately, it didn't take long for Mamas to find a new loving home.