If there is one longest staying dog at the Gwinnett Jail Dogs (GJD), it would be Bandit. The pooch was with the shelter since 2014. It was the same year when the dog’s former owners dumped him.

The reason why Bandit got dumped is that the pooch suffered paralysis. The owners surrendered the Bandit to a local kill shelter. But with the help of the volunteers of the animal shelter, Bandit got spared. Bandit became part of GJD’s program that helps rescue dog find their permanent homes.

But the dog seemed to have no luck in adoption. According to the volunteers, Bandit has already been adopted three times by three different families. However, a few weeks after getting adopted, the dog would be returned to the shelter.

This saddened not only the dog but also the volunteers. The volunteers do not understand why people do not like Bandit. Although the dog is paralyzed, the pooch is a very loyal one. This trait, however, does not seem enough for other people.

The volunteers did not give up on the pooch. Luckily, a couple named Darrell and Sue Rider heard about Bandit’s story. The first thing the couple felt upon knowing of the dog’s history is compassion. But more than the pity, they were determined to provide the dog with a new and happy life. This is because the couple knows the feeling of being unwanted.

For one, just like Bandit, Darrell also had paralysis. Their conditions are intertwined, and they both have the same struggle. Darrell said that a paralyzed man would probably understand the hardships a paralyzed dog faces every single day.

With this, the couple adopted the pooch for good. The couple then provided the pooch with a makeshift wheelchair to guide Bandit with his walking. The dog is now thriving in his new community with loving parents.

Credits to Local 24 Memphis.