When Snoots first arrived at Austin Pets Alive! (APA!), the tiny 12-year-old pup looked like he was on the edge of goodbye.
“He was unresponsive, and the shelter staff thought they might have been too late,” said Luis Sanchez, director of public relations and communications at APA!.
Still, the team refused to give up. They gently cleaned and fed him, gave him medication, and surrounded him with quiet kindness. When it was time to rest, they tucked him into a warm kennel — unsure if he’d make it through the night.
But the next morning, something incredible happened.
“He greeted the shelter's vets at his kennel door, looking like a real dog again,” Sanchez shared.
It was as if Snoots had decided that love was worth fighting for.
Weighing just five pounds and far older than most dogs who pass through the shelter, Snoots’ future remains uncertain. But his spirit has already defied the odds — and now, for however long he has left, he’ll know only comfort, safety, and affection.
“Despite everything, he's a total sweetie pie and just wants to be held,” Sanchez said. “He doesn’t need much — but APA! is ready to give him the world for as long as he’s in it.”
Today, Snoots is settling into a loving hospice foster home, where he spends his days being pampered, snuggled, and adored. The frail little dog who once seemed lifeless now greets each morning with light in his eyes — proof that even the smallest spark of love can bring a soul back to life.
If you’d like to help Snoots and other dogs like him, you can donate to Austin Pets Alive!
