Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/rescue-dog-hugs-everyone/

If you pay close attention, dogs are very capable of showing gratitude. And for one rescue pooch in New York, that is exactly what he does with every single person that he meets. Five-year-old Toro was first rescued last year from an abandoned house alongside two other dogs.

Poor Toro was found chained to a fence, wearing a very heavy 15-lb collar around his neck. He was transported to the safety of the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter. The pooch seemed to know that this was a turning point for him, and things could only get better from there.

For a moment, things appeared as though they were going to work out for the best when he was adopted in January.

Unfortunately, the adoption did not work out and Toro was Brough back to the shelter. But that has not lessened his enthusiasm for life and all the people that he meets. The adorable pooch is quite friendly and wants to hug everyone that he meets.

This sense of gratitude and joy that the little pooch displays are what has led to the shelter creating his very own Instagram page for him. They will regularly post updates about Toro, and he has already a pretty big following of 10.9K fans.

Toro is a very sweet pooch, but he hasn’t always been that way. As the kennel and placement supervisor for the shelter, Melissa Fogarty, said to The Dodo, “When he first came in, he was very nervous and shut down. He’s become more comfortable with people he’s used to, but is still a bit nervous in the shelter setting.”

She added that she was one of the first people who regularly helped the dog become socialized by taking him on walks. She said that his hugging habit happened one day when the two of them had gone out to play together in the yard. She shared that the pup had just gone up to her, jumped onto her lap, and then gave her a hug.

Fogarty explained that while Toro’s habits might be adorable, he does need structure when it comes to a forever home. She stated that whoever adopted him would have to have both “love and patience” for the pooch as he was never “properly socialized” or trained before he showed up at the shelter. Fogarty believes that the dog probably spent the majority of his life outdoors.

That is why she said that “It is very important to give Toro structure, have him crate trained and teach him basic obedience. Toro is recommended to be the only pet. We want to see this boy in a loving home, after all he’s been through, he deserves the best.”

For more information about Toro go visit his Instagram.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog