Adopt Me! Dwayne the Dog Is Ready to Put Years of Cruel Abuse Behind Him

After receiving three months of medical care at Helen Woodward Animal Center, Dwayne the dog is ready for a forever family

Photo: Courtesy Helen Woodward Animal Center

Home: Some pets never have one to call their own. We’d like to help change that by introducing you to an adoptable pet every week. Today, meet Dwayne, a handsome dog who loves to spend time with people, even after a lifetime of abuse.

Dwayne is all smiles now, but it has been a hard road. He was brought the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, California, in May, staying under the facility’s devoted care for three months. Before he arrived at this nurturing oasis, Dwayne was abused by his previous owner, who would wrap a crude wire muzzle around Dwayne’s mouth and beat the innocent dog. When this owner went to jail for a charge unrelated to Dwayne’s abuse, the dog was abandoned on the street. Here, neighbors harassed and abused Dwayne, going as far as pouring scalding hot water over the animal’s body.

Even though Dwayne has been robbed of so much, he has retained his loving personality. Now, Helen Woodward Animal Center wants to give him a home where he can truly shine and experience a life full of love.

“Dwayne has blossomed into a healthy, confident and affectionate friend to everyone he meets, earning him an overwhelming number of admirers with adoption inquiries coming from far and wide. But the final piece to any orphan pet’s ultimate happiness is its placement in a forever home,” the rescue said in a statement.

To ensure this happens, Helen Woodward Animal Center has provided a video on who would make a great parent for Dwayne, along with a few guidelines on what kind of owners would meet the dog’s special needs.

Some of the qualifications include:

1. A family located in the San Diego Area – or within a two-hour drive.
2. A family with no other dogs or a home with one friendly and gentle dog. (Dwayne loves other dogs but wants to be your No. 1!)
3. A family that will allow Dwayne to be inside for most of the day. (Dwayne is house-trained and very respectful of boundaries. He loves being indoors with you!)
4. A family that understands Dwayne’s limitations. (Dwayne has a lame front right leg. He still loves to frolic and play, but please no marathons or strenuous hikes.)

With all the interest and support Dwayne has earned over the past three months, the center is optimistic that they will find Dwayne’s perfect match quickly and easily. The hard part will be saying goodbye.

“It is going to be a very difficult decision and really hard for all of us to see him go, but Dwayne deserves it,” says Jennifer Shorey, Helen Woodward Animal Center operations director. “He embodies every characteristic people hope to find in a furry family member … loyalty, heart and incredible devotion. We will miss him but it will help to know that he’s finally found his forever family.”

To ensure Dwayne stays in good health and keeps in touch, Helen Woodward Animal Center is offering 50 percent off of Dwayne’s medical expenses for life; his new family just needs to bring him to the center for treatment,

If you think this affectionate, strong and incredibly brave buddy is right for you, fill out an adoption application here. Please contact Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Adoption Department at 858-756-4117, ext. 1, or [e-mail].

Adopting a pet is an amazing experience – and a big decision! Before bringing a pet into your home, it’s important to consider your family circumstances and do your research.