He was abandoned and left outdoors in a locked kennel. He had no food or water. Six endless days went by. Would someone come to rescue him before it was too late?
Rocky’s prayers were answered on June 6th, 2023, when SPCA Enforcement Officers came to save him. They brought him to the SPCA’s Dartmouth Shelter, where he was immediately seen by a veterinarian. Rocky was very thin, badly dehydrated and had inflamed feet due to standing in his own urine and fecal matter for so long. He was then taken to the Kings Shelter, where he would continue to get much needed medical attention for over a month.
When Rocky arrived at the shelter, he was understandably scared and shut down emotionally. Initially, he hid at the back of his kennel facing the wall. But after several days of food, care and love, he began to open up and show people the sweet dog was; a dog who just wanted love.
And there was a special someone waiting to give Rocky the love he deserved. Enter the amazing Jessica Hannam, Manager of both the SPCA Kings and Yarmouth Shelters. Jessica and her husband Sean had rescued several dogs over the years and had always had a soft spot for the Bully breeds. Jessica shared “There cannot be enough said for the love, trust and devotion they give when part of a family. When we saw Rocky’s sweet face, big French Bulldog head and soulful eyes begging for love, we just couldn’t resist making him a part of our family! And on July 11th, 2023, we adopted him and made our commitment to love him forever official!” 
Four year old Rocky immediately made himself at home and had an instant bond with his two new canine siblings. Sean related “Rocky absolutely adores his brothers! Tank is a miniature pitbull who we rescued at 3 days old and Deisel is a pitbull we adopted from the Kings shelter over 10 years ago. Tank and Rocky are quite a bit younger than Diesel so they cause the most ruckus around the house!”
There were a few learning curves for Rocky, given his past. Jessica said “A big one was learning how to poop. Given that he had likely spent most of his life in a kennel with limited space, he would initially turn in very small circles to poop, stepping in it and ultimately having to have mom wipe his bum for him. But over time, Rocky eventually realized he had an entire yard to roam free in to do his business! Another learning curve was learning what toys are. Poor Rocky had never had any toys. The excitement that came over him when he got his first toy was such a joy to experience. Rocky would light right up, running around trying to get his brothers to play with him…which they always did!”
Fast forward to today. Rocky is definitely thriving in his forever home. Jessica chuckled “He LOVES laying outside in the grass sunbathing and enjoys napping on a comfy dog bed snuggled up with his brothers. BUT… his favorite thing in the entire world is to be on my husband Sean’s lap, flipped on his back, getting continuous belly rubs! He is a 70-pound lapdog living his best life!”
Rocky fills the couple’s days with smiles and laughter. Jessica said “Rocky enjoys going for walks, but once he has decided he has had enough, he will lay down on the trail and refuse to go any further, and I mean REFUSE…….He lays down, stretches out and proceeds to have a nap, leaving my husband Sean having to carry him the rest of the way home…all 70 pounds of him!”
Rocky has had a profound impact on the couple’s life. They shared “Adopting Rocky has brought an unexpected kind of love and grounding into our family. He didn’t just become another pet, he became family. Rocky has taught us patience, presence, and the beauty of unconditional love and loyalty. On days when life feels overwhelming, he reminds us to slow down, to breathe, and to find joy in the simplest moments, like a walk, a wagging “nubbin” (Rocky has no tail), or just in his quiet companionship. Adopting Rocky didn’t just change his life, it changed ours in ways we didn’t know we needed.” 
And Jessica’s final thoughts? ”Shelter dogs have a lot of love to give and Bully / Pitbull breeds are not always people’s first choice when looking for a great family dog. After working for the SPCA for 6 years, seeing these funny, charismatic, amazing, sweet dogs be passed over time and time again, I would like to say a huge thank you to those who have opened their hearts and homes to them……I bet you cannot imagine your life without them!”
Please give other homeless animals like Rocky a chance to live the life they deserve. Donate today.