Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/brad-hungry-hippo/

When Lisa first met Brad, the poor boy had been through more than any dog deserves to go through. He was found as a stray on the streets of Houston, Texas. It was believed that he was originally bred to be a fighting dog but was probably abandoned when his temperament proved to be too sweet for that life, or perhaps because he was deaf. Either way, he was left to fend for himself with no love or protection.

Eventually, Brad was taken to a shelter and later transferred to 2 Blondes All Breed Rescue in Colorado, an organization that rescues dogs from high-kill facilities. He was adopted, but he was later returned, and then he had to wait two years to find another home.

Lisa, who resides in Denver, Colorado, had originally only intended to foster Brad. Her last foster dog had just been adopted, and she was on the hunt for another dog to care for while that dog waited to find its forever home. But as she got to know Brad, she realized she was not going to be able to part with him the way she had with other foster dogs. She didn’t want him to be adopted and returned again, alone and misunderstood.

So Brad and Lisa have been inseparable ever since. And despite the cruelty of his past, Brad shows very little sign of being distrustful of humans or sad about the path his life has taken. He’s a happy and goofy boy who loves snacks, lapping up water from the shower, and sleeping with his back foot on his face.

Like all animals, Brad comes with his challenges too. Lisa rarely takes him to the dog park since she cannot call him back to her verbally and because she’s worried that any incidents that might occur would be attributed to his breed and cause him to get in trouble. But avoiding the dog park is well worth it for the newfound friend she has and the beautiful life she’s been able to give Brad.

You can see more of Brad’s story in the video below:

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To keep up with Brad and his family, be sure to follow him on Instagram, @brad.the.hungry.hippo.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog