Abused Puppy Lenny Finds Love and a Forever Home

Quick Smiles:

• Abused puppy Lenny learns to trust and love again
• Foster carer Kelly Williams’ dedication brings Lenny out of his shell
• Lenny finds a forever home with a loving family in Colorado

An abused puppy named Lenny spent his first four days with foster carer Kelly Williams hiding in a closet, but he has finally discovered what it means to be cherished.

@k9kelaroo

We got a call about an abused pup who wasnt eating at the shelter so we fostered him. He hid in my closet for 4 days and then this happened… #puppy #love #cuddles #rescuepuppy #dogsoftiktok #sanctuary #dogmom #fosteringsaveslives ♬ Beautiful Heart – Piano Meditation

Kelly Williams, who runs Kelaroo’s Ruff Ranch, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing abandoned and abused dogs in Texas, shared her experience.

“I’m known for fostering troubled dogs—those who had shut down, been abused, or had severe medical issues,” Williams said.

One day, Williams received a call about a terrified puppy who needed her help. That puppy was Lenny, recently removed from his previous owner’s care due to concerns about animal cruelty.

“When I first saw Lenny, he was so scared that he wasn’t eating and was curled up, trembling in the back of his kennel,” Williams recalled.

Lenny had been rescued from the euthanasia list at BARC, a high-kill shelter in Houston, and hadn’t eaten for days.

“It broke my heart to see him like that, and I knew I had to do something,” she said.

Thanks to Rescued Pets Movement, the organization Williams fosters for, Lenny was given a second chance. They transport many dogs to states like Colorado, where the overpopulation crisis isn’t as severe as in Houston.

Lenny struggled to adjust to shelter life, a common issue. A 2006 study in the journal Physiology and Behavior found that dogs entering shelters had three times more of the stress hormone cortisol than those in standard households.

Williams provided Lenny with a safe environment, but it wasn’t always easy.

In a video posted by Williams on TikTok, she showed how Lenny spent his first four days hiding in a closet.

“Lenny was just so scared. He would let me go into the closet and cuddle him, but he wouldn’t come out,” Williams said.

“He had no trust in humans or sounds, and given that he was just a pup who had only known abuse and unpredictable punishment, it was natural for him to retreat to a place where he felt safe.”

The closet offered Lenny some comfort.

“The closet was big, with a door that opened into a large bathroom and then into a bedroom, so he could see out and hear the rest of the house,” Williams explained.

“He felt safe there, and while he was in the closet, he started eating and getting cozy, but he just wasn’t ready to come out yet.”

Those initial days were eye-opening for Williams.

“Seeing him so vulnerable made me realize how much love and patience he needed,” she said.

Williams, experienced in handling troubled puppies, knew the importance of positivity and perseverance.

“I kept singing to him, bringing him rotisserie chicken, and maintaining a routine so he could predict his environment,” she said.

“There were lots of cuddles, and as he got more comfortable, I started being silly with him.”

One morning, Williams had a breakthrough.

“I went into the bathroom, and he could see me. He peeked out, and I smiled at him. Suddenly, he just bounded out like a puppy, ran through the bedroom, and then back to the closet,” she said.

“He would come in and out, testing the waters. It was like something told him, ‘You’re safe now, baby… go be a puppy.’ That moment was pure magic, and it brought tears to my eyes.”

Lenny soon became comfortable, often emerging from the closet to interact with Williams.

“He would climb into my lap, and I would sing him lullabies and rock him, and he would just melt. After lullabies, I would get silly, and he would get the zoomies,” she said.

“After a day of that, he was ready to go and explore outside with some of our other dogs—the calm, friendly ones—that helped him so much.”

Over the following months, Lenny blossomed.

“Watching him transform from a scared puppy to a joyful one was incredibly rewarding,” Williams said.

Eventually, Lenny found a forever home with a loving family in Colorado through 2 Blondes All Breed Rescue.

“He’s growing up with two young, energetic boys and gets plenty of love, attention and exercise,” Williams said.

“Knowing that he’s in a place where he’s cherished and happy fills my heart with so much joy.”

Williams hopes Lenny’s story will inspire others to adopt and foster, emphasizing the need for patience.

“Like us, dogs and puppies need time to feel safe after trauma. You can’t expect them to just come home and be grateful right away,” she said.

“Every dog like Lenny deserves a chance to feel safe and loved.”

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