A shelter dog spent the first 12 years of his life living in a cage, but now things couldn’t be more different, and it is all thanks to one woman.
Simba the dog’s life changed immeasurably for the better the day that model Jocelyn Tauck, from Colorado, saw his picture online. “I follow a lot of rescue pages on Facebook, and, one day, I saw his photo on National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR) in Peyton,” Tauck told Newsweek. “The moment I saw the pain and fear in his eyes, I just knew I had to apply.”
The more she learned about Simba, the more she discovered just how difficult his life had been up until the point he had come to NMDR. “Simba’s story broke my heart,” Tauck said. “He was severely abused and spent his entire life in a tiny cage. He was only ever taken out to be put in another cage to breed with a female. He had never even touched grass before we got him.”
Sadly, stories like Simba’s are far from isolated cases. Animal welfare charity Humane World for Animals estimates as many as 500,000 dogs are kept solely for breeding purposes in puppy mills.
Often kept in cramped and poorly maintained cages, where they receive next to no personal attention, canines in puppy mills represent a major concern to animal welfare groups, with breeders accused of prioritizing profit over the proper care of the dogs involved.
As a result, the puppies bred often suffer from a variety of health problems, some of which are only likely to become apparent to their new families when they get home. The dogs involved in breeding, meanwhile, often live a lonely, loveless existence.
With an estimated 10,000 puppy mills operating in the U.S. according to Humane World for Animals, it is clear that action needs to be taken to ensure other dogs don’t face the same kind of miserable existence Simba endured for over a decade.
Tauck knew she was powerless to change what had happened to Simba in the past, but she also knew she could be the one to change his present and future for the better. “I couldn’t imagine what he’d been through, and I wanted to give him the safe, loving home he deserved for his golden years,” she said.
There was another element to Tauck wanting to help Simba, though. As a senior dog, she knew Simba faced a much-harder task of being adopted. According to the ASPCA, senior dogs have a 25 percent adoption rate, compared to 60 percent among younger dogs and puppies.
Tauck was determined to buck the trend though. “I’ve always wanted to adopt a senior dog, ever since I was little. I’ve just always felt like they deserve homes and love too,” she said.
So, on a clear bright day, Tauck paid a visit to NMDR to pick up Simba. She posted a video of that trip to her TikTok @hottest. redhead along with a message aimed directly at Simba: “Your life begins now.”
It is a life of cozy beds, naps on rugs and lots of belly rubs. Simba has wasted little time in embracing his new life and has already touched grass for the very first time.
“He’s still learning how to be a dog, but he’s taking huge steps every single day. He’s learned how to walk on a leash, he’s potty trained now, and he loves going on walks,” Tauck said. “He is the sweetest, most gentle soul. We’re so happy we got him, and I’m so grateful he’s finally getting to experience what love feels like.”
Tauck was inspired to share Simba’s story because “many people don’t realize how many senior dogs need a second chance.”
“When I saw him on NMDR’s page, the fear in his eyes broke me,” she said. “I wanted people to see what these dogs go through, and how incredible their transformation can be with love.”