Not all people understand the relationship between humans and dogs. The less they know, the less empathy they have for these four-legged creatures.
The emotional story of Lewis and Titus, from Texas, begins right there, when Lewis had to give up his dog as his landlord threatened to evict him if he didn’t.
The position of a man trapped between the love for his dog and cruel reality is a hard place to be in. Lewis had no choice but to give up Titus until better days came.
There were so many questions at that point, but the most important was – how long until Titus returns home?
Luckily, Lewis did manage to get Titus back. And, their reunion was the perfect moment captured by Austin shelter cameras.
This is their story!
Lewis Was Desperate When A Landlord Asked Him To Get Rid Of Titus
Lewis had Titus for years in their loving home in Austin, Texas. He was the perfect pet. Titus was never hostile or dangerous, but a decent family dog.
Everything was fine until Lewis’s landlord decided that Titus had to go. He demanded Lewis to give up his Pit Bull out of the blue or he would be evicted from the house.
Crushed and devastated by this news, Lewis found himself between saving his family and saving his loving buddy, Titus. It was impossible to find a new place on such short notice, and even if he did find one, there was not enough money for the security deposit and moving costs.
Lewis made the obvious choice in the end, but he was in shock.
He surrendered Titus to Austin Animal Center on a temporary basis until he found a better solution. But, at first, it seemed like goodbye forever. He didn’t know when he would be able to take Titus in again or whether or not he would find another place.
Austin Animal Center Took Titus In
Fortunately, the Austin Animal Center team took over all the care for Titus.
They provided him with a safe and nurturing new home, but the truth is – Titus never actually adapted to shelter life. He was stressed out the whole time he was there, suffering from severe separation anxiety.
“Titus has been stressed out at the shelter and generally having a tough time… we can’t imagine the heartbreak for them or him every time they had to leave without him. They had raised him from puppyhood; they were the only family he has ever known”, said AAC staff.
Lewis Visited His Buddy Every Week
The staff at Austin Animal Center didn’t actually believe that Titus’ family would eventually return and take him back, as there were numerous cases of families surrendering their dogs on a temporary basis and never coming back again.
However, they were surprised when Lewis came the first week to visit Titus. Even though he still couldn’t take him back, Lewis made sure to come every week and see how Titus was doing. During four long months, Lewis visited every week to check up on his buddy.
Every time he came, Titus was thrilled. He would’ve immediately recovered and become the happiest dog in the world for those short couple of hours, but every time Lewis left – Titus was devastated again.
The Reunion After Four Long Months
After four long months of being apart, Lewis finally found a pet-friendly home. He immediately went straight to Austin Animal Center to pick up his buddy. When Titus saw him carrying a leash, he became ecstatic, as he knew that this was the day he goes home.
Their reunion was very emotional and full of tears. The staff from AAC captured this moment, and the story went viral within days.
With new housing in place, Titus’ dad came to take him home… happiness is an understatement for this moment”, wrote the AAC team on their Facebook.
Titus finally came home to his family, and this time, he came home for good. After moving mountains to get him back, there was no way Lewis would ever let him go again.
