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Sanford was previously classified as a &#8220;broken dog,&#8221; but he can&#8217;t stop smiling now days.
Sanford&#8217;s foster mom, Karen Velazquez, says he&#8217;s the happiest dog she&#8217;s ever encountered.
&#8220;I am currently on my 52nd foster, and I can honestly say that I have never had somebody as cheerful as him,&#8221; Velazquez told The Dodo. &#8220;He stares at me in a manner that no other animal or person, even my own pets, has ever looked at me.&#8221; The only time he isn&#8217;t smiling is when he&#8217;s sleeping or eating.&#8221;
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But Sanford needed all the aid he could get before Velazquez took him in. He was rescued by animal control in April after being struck by a car and rendered unable to move. Rescuers discovered a gunshot hole on his right rear leg as well.
When animal control authorities discovered him, he was sent to a small municipal shelter in Dallas, Texas, where he lived for a week. Because the shelter lacked money, Sanford did not receive medical attention during that period.
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When a Dallas DogRRR volunteer saw Sanford in the shelter, she knew she had to assist him.
&#8220;He was physically shattered&#8230; &#8220;And when the volunteer went to meet him, he didn&#8217;t make any attempt to come and say hello,&#8221; Dallas DogRRR executive director Kerry Anechiarico told The Dodo. &#8220;It&#8217;s almost as if he&#8217;d given up and was simply waiting for his moment.&#8221;
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But the most significant shift occurred when Sanford initially entered foster care with Velazquez.
&#8220;He came to my house on May 1, only a few days after he got out of the hospital,&#8221; Velazquez explained. &#8220;He&#8217;s been beaming ever since. I believe the moment he walked into my house, he recognized he was in a secure place.&#8221;
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Sanford, nicknamed &#8216;Sanfee&#8217; by Velazquez, now spends his days eating home-cooked meals, going on daily walks, and playing with Velazquez&#8217;s other dogs.
Sanford is a senior citizen at the age of ten, but he doesn&#8217;t act it.
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&#8220;He&#8217;s a really average dog for a 10-year-old,&#8221; Anechiarico remarked. &#8220;He reminds me of an elderly person at a nursing facility.&#8221; He&#8217;s 95 years old, yet he acts like he&#8217;s in his fifties.&#8221;
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While Sanford is content in his foster home, everyone wishes for him to find a forever home.
&#8220;He&#8217;ll be an excellent family dog,&#8221; Anechiarico predicted. &#8220;He&#8217;ll get along with other dogs and people.&#8221; He&#8217;s even good with children.&#8221;
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&#8220;He&#8217;s the ideal companion dog to come home to,&#8221; Anechiarico remarked. &#8220;He&#8217;ll wag his tail and greet you before keeping you company for the remainder of the day.&#8221; He&#8217;s just a cheerful dog now.&#8221;