When a rescued rottweiler named Anubis first walked through Miami Dade Animal Services’ doors, he and the staff were instantly unsure of each other.
As a street dog still in survival mode, Anubis was defensive toward anyone who approached him — humans and dogs alike. The staff deemed him unsafe to be around others, not realizing that the big guy was actually filled with love.
“Some staff at the shelter were scared of him,” Rosa Fond, founder of Humans and Animals United (HAAU), told The Dodo. “And Anubis wasn’t trusting anyone.”
HAAU, a foster-based rescue, heard about Anubis’ reputation at the shelter and offered to help. They were determined to unleash his friendly personality and give him the life he deserved.
Before HAAU could pull Anubis out of the shelter and connect him with a foster family, the pup needed to regain his confidence.
So, they enlisted the help of a trainer, who visited the shelter every day to work with both Anubis and the staff members who were scared of him.
“It took a lot of time and understanding, and I mean a lot,” Fond said. “But we gave him the chance that he needed.”
Eventually, Anubis started to shed his fears — and so did his shelter caregivers. The once-aggressive dog was finally on his way to securing a forever home — one filled with the love he needed to thrive.
After a few more training sessions, Anubis was officially ready to meet his new foster-to-adopt family. He’d entered the shelter scared and unsure, but he left feeling more confident than ever.
“When he left the shelter, he realized he was safe,” Fond said. “He had a huge smile and happy eyes.”
Not only was Anubis gaining an awesome family of humans to love on him, he also met an unexpected sibling — a bearded dragon.
Anubis and the bearded dragon hit it off right away. Since the lizard was already part of the family when Anubis arrived, he acts kind of like a bossy big brother toward the pup. But Anubis is totally fine with following his lead.
“The ‘aggressive’ rottweiler is not the boss of the household,” Fond said. “Anubis has to ask the bearded dragon for permission to enter a room or take a toy, as funny and hard as it is to believe.”
It may seem like there’s a power dynamic at play, but underneath it all, the two animals share a mutual understanding.
“They have this love and respect for each other,” Fond said.
Today, Anubis can be found enjoying life at home beside his scaly best friend and doting humans, who cuddle him all day long.
And the sweet boy can’t get enough.
For a dog who was once deemed to be unsafe around everyone, Anubis’ world has changed forever — and it’s just getting started.
“The family that he’s with now has gone above and beyond to love him and guarantee him the best future,” Fond said. “The ‘aggressive’ rottweiler is now safe and loved.”