People often say that good things come to those who wait, but is this always true?

An eight-year-old pup named Rocky waited many years, but his time of happiness never seemed to arrive.

In fact, his life took an unexpected turn, leaving this poor pup struggling to stay alive. After enduring a life of hardship, Rocky found himself at the shelter facing a pending euthanization and no one to save him.
The odds were not in his favor, but he managed to persevere.

Shortlisted For Euthanasia

In February 2024, a TikTok user, ‘Shelter Dogs of AZ’, shared a heartbreaking video of a black-and-white dog named Rocky who waited every day by the door of the shelter for someone to come meet him.

Sadly, no one seemed to be interested in him, which absolutely broke his heart.
Throughout his whole life, Rocky did not have luck with his owners. His original owner tried to sell him on Facebook Marketplace, and the second owner surrendered him to the Arizona-based animal shelter.

As you can imagine, this has left a toll on the emotional state of this poor dog.

When he was surrendered to Maricopa County Animal Care & Control shelter in Phoenix, Arizona, Rocky started to harm himself in the kennel, causing injuries.

The shelter environment has made him severely stressed and hard to work with. He became reactive to other dogs at the shelter and has developed escape tendencies.
Katie Gerlach, who made the heartbreaking video of Rocky on TikTok, told Newsweek: “Per shelter policies, Rocky was given a five-day deadline”.

He was put on the pre-euthanasia list, and if no one had come to save him in those five days, he would have been euthanized. This prompted Gerlach to share Rocky’s story on social media in hopes of finding him a home and ultimately saving his life.

@shelterdogsofaz #phoenixaz #az #arizona #puppylove #dogsoftiktok #phxaz #phoenixarizona #adoptabledogs #azrescue #adoptme #fosteringsaveslives #shelterdogsrock #pitbulllove #pittiesoftiktok #pittielove #shelterdogsneedlove #scottsdalearizona #scottsdale #volunteer #pitbullsoftiktok #pitbulls ♬ Somewhere only we know cover – Sofía

Fighting For Rocky’s Life

“The shelter has changed Rocky’s status and he is no longer adoptable to the general public. He can ONLY be saved by a New Hope rescue. We need an only dog adopted or foster + funds for a rescue to save his life,” Garlach wrote in one of her videos.

The New Hope rescue is meant for dogs with severe medical or behavioral issues who are then not suitable for the general public to adopt.
Rocky needed someone with experience and someone who was willing to fight for him.

Days passed, but still no one ever came. Rocky grew increasingly desperate as he anxiously waited for someone to come to his rescue, yet time was running out.

One day, before his euthanasia, a miracle happened – Rocky was saved by a local rescue called Rescue Street.

In the end, good things do come to those who wait. Despite the odds stacked against him, Rocky’s life once again took an unexpected turn… this time, for the good.

A kind-hearted individual stepped up to bring his days of loneliness and despair to an end. Rocky is now boarding, but will hopefully go to a loving home soon.

The important thing is that he’s alive and safe. Brighter days are ahead of him.