Republished from the Hope 4 a Street Dog website.
Meet Chino
It’s rare here in Costa Rica to see a dog old enough to have silver hair coming in on their snout. Many dogs don’t get the chance to enjoy their golden years, and especially not street dogs. So when Chino was found begging for food on the beach at Playa Negra, with ticks and matted graying hair, we at Hope 4 A Street Dog were quite surprised.
It’s uncertain how this became Chino’s reality. Unfortunately, dogs are abandoned all too often when they begin to age, even when they are as friendly and sweet as Chino. For true dog lovers this is an unthinkable act, but shelters around the world are full of senior animals who have been surrendered, usually because they require more care in their later years.
The Road to Recovery
Chino was brought to Dr. Cavallini’s Veterinary office for a checkup and much-needed grooming, by two visiting volunteers, Bonnie and Mary. Sylvia, one of the best groomers in the area, worked her magic, bathing him and getting rid of all the knots and ticks. Chino left with a new lease on life; not only feeling fresh and clean, but loved and cared for like he should be.
The vet estimated he was around 8 years old. He had some of the common ailments that dogs here in the tropics deal with, but nothing that couldn’t be treated. He was now safe and fed at Berta‘s sanctuary, spending his days with her pack of rescues and fosters. We began looking for a forever home for Chino, and while he waited he got lots of visits and walks on the beach from volunteers.
A Miracle from Vermont
Then, we received amazing news from Hope 4 A Street Dog’s founder, Kim in Vermont. She had found a volunteer who wanted to travel to Costa Rica to pick up Chino, and accompany him on a journey north to live in Vermont. This admirable dog-lover, Scott Woodward, had actually adopted a Costa Rican rescue from Kim already. Kim also runs a rescue in Vermont, and has helped many dogs transition from Costa Rica find their forever homes in the U.S. Scott fell in love with his Tico dog, Milu, and jumped at the opportunity to help another rescue from Costa Rica find a loving home when he heard Chino’s story.
Aside from being a long time dog lover and supporter of rescue, Scott was searching for ways to bring deeper meaning and happiness into his life and others’. He decided it was time to start shifting focus and energy to other things aside from work, and forming connections that mattered. This trip to Costa Rica was about more than rescuing Chino, it was about connecting with other people who have a similar mission in life, and forming life-long friendships. Scott’s mission to live with purpose and spread love is something we can all learn from and be inspired by.
When Scott landed at Liberia airport, Chino was there to greet him. He gave him a warm welcome, as if he knew they were going to be long time amigos. We immediately connected with Scott, and welcomed him to the land of pura vida, and to our community of animal lovers. We are so grateful to meet kind souls like Scott who help make miracles happen like this. We did our best to show Scott a good time here in Playa Junquillal, and he got to know the area and all of the volunteers at Hope 4 A Street Dog well. He and Chino even spent some time getting professional training with Shari from Tropic K9, so they would be ready for their trip to Vermont together. Thank you, Shari!
Scott’s time in Costa Rica went by fast, but he definitely packed in the memories. It’s safe to say this will probably not be Scott’s last time visiting, as we could tell that this beautiful place had captured his heart. We were so happy to see Chino and Scott forming a bond and so relieved that this senior dog was getting a second chance. We even had a farewell party for Chino before he left, to wish them well and thank Scott again for his unforgettable act of kindness.
¡Buen viaje, Chino y Scott!
After extending his trip for two extra days, it was finally time for Scott and Chino to fly back to Vermont. Berta was feeling especially torn, obviously happy that Chino would be in a loving home, but sad to say goodbye after caring for him all these months in foster care. This is a feeling she is used to after rescuing and finding homes for countless dogs over the years, but it never gets easier.
Their trip went smoothly and Chino was very well behaved. Scott couldn’t wait to introduce Chino to Milu when they arrived, and show him around his new home.
Now that Scott and Chino are settled in, he says that Milu accepted Chino as his new brother quickly, and they are enjoying the Vermont summer and spending lots of time outdoors hiking and exploring. Scott was originally just supposed to foster Chino until he was adopted, but we have a feeling Chino has already found his forever home!
We Are All Hope
We are so glad that there IS hope for a senior street dog, and we want to remind you that we are ALL hope for every dog in need. This community of animal lovers continues to grow and we are endlessly surprised and warmed by new contributors like Scott to our cause. None of these heartwarming stories could be possible without the help of so many. This story is the perfect example of how it truly takes a village to give hope to a being that needed help, and so easily could have been overlooked. Thank you to EVERYONE who helped Chino and believed in him. And an extra special thanks to you, Scott.
