Milo’s Journey: A Homeless Pets Foundation’s Victory
A black schnauzer-scottie mix was discovered wandering the streets by county animal welfare, homeless and in poor condition. I can only imagine the many nights he endured alone and hungry, and the fear he must have felt at the public shelter. He was running out of time. When Beyond Pets Animal Hospital and Urgent Care stepped in, he weighed only 12.8 pounds, approximately 40% underweight, with visible ribs. The Beyond Pets team addressed his respiratory infection, cleaned his matted fur, treated abrasions on his legs, followed through on vaccinations, and made sure he got the nutrition he desperately needed. They saw a wonderful dog who needed a second chance and named him Victory, when he recovered against the odds.
Victory’s Victory was reaching 21 pounds
Victory was ready for a new family to shower him with the love he deserves, and Homeless Pets Foundation made that happen. We fell in love with Victory on their website, went through the adoption process. and now he’s the perfect addition to our family. However, he didn’t answer to the name Victory. The name Milo was shorter and means soldier in Latin. This guy was strong and persevered through such hardship, so Milo it is. Milo still needed to gain weight. Homeless Pets started him on the path to victory with a healthy, nutritious diet.
When we brought Milo home, he still didn’t understand that he’d get his next meal, so he ate as much as he could, as fast as possible.
We set up an automatic pet feeder that gives him three meals a day. How can a dog that can’t tell time anticipate a meal almost to the minute? But he does. Each meal is given in smaller portions, so he can’t eat quite as fast. Over time, Milo has reached 21 lbs, has a shiny black coat, and is enjoying life.
Outside, he shows a whole new kind of excitement
Our fenced yard has become his safe, outdoor world. He explores the daylilies, circles the trees, follows new scents, and keeps a sharp eye on the chipmunks. He and his younger brother, Ollie, love to chase them, but for now, they’ve stayed out of reach. Dappled shade falls under tall trees, and large sunny areas invite zoomies.
We watch over his outdoor adventures. However, watching a black dog at night is a challenge. So, we bought him an orange reflective collar and installed motion-detecting lights on the fence. Those are the perks of having a new dad who's an engineer.
Inside, he has his own simple comforts. His favorite toy is a little white lamb he loves to cuddle…or bite. He hangs out with the other dogs in our family, but Milo is really all about people. Everyone who stops by gets the same warm greeting, his tail wagging. After everything he has been through, he shows no fear, only love for people and pets.
What comforts him most is having his own people close by, where he is a velcro dog. Someone is always home, whether it’s me, Greg, or Ben. Milo now knows he won’t be left alone, wondering where everyone went. In fact, we love our part-time velcro dog, and I’m sure he feels the same way.
A wonderful dog worth saving
He has a routine, with the rhythm of daily life. Milo knows where he sleeps, when he eats, and that another meal is always coming. He knows he has his own extended family of people and dogs. For Milo, who once didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, having this kind of predictability is truly special.
Somewhere along the way, the homeless little dog named Victory became Milo, a healthy and curious dog who knows his routine, loves his yard, cuddles his toys, and gets excited for every meal. He has a Scottie’s feisty, brave attitude and a Schnauzer’s affection and playfulness. He’s perfect for us. We are so thankful to Beyond Pets Animal Hospital and Homeless Pets Foundation for saving this little guy, who brings his family so much joy every day.
