“He would look under people’s gates …”

Last week, while Southern California residents prepared for a historic hurricane, one lonely dog had nowhere to go. He paced around a Los Angeles neighborhood peering into each yard, hoping to find the family who’d left him behind.

Neighbors noticed the large, white dog sulking past their homes but didn’t know how best to help him. That’s when they called Suzette Hall, founder of Logan’s Legacy dog rescue.

“The neighbors were all feeding him, but no one wanted to let him in because he had so many ticks,” Hall told The Dodo. “The poor baby just waited.”

Even if neighbors had opened up their homes to the pup, Hall’s not sure he would’ve gone in. He was clearly fixated on finding his family, and he refused to leave the street without them.

“He would look under people’s gates as if to say, ‘Are you my home?’” Hall said. “He just wanted to find his family.”

With the storm looming overhead, Hall drove to the Orange County neighborhood as quickly as possible. When she pulled up to the sidewalk where the dog was lying, he lifted his head with a hopeful gaze toward the car.

At first, he thought that his family had finally come back for him. But he quickly realized that Hall was there to save him, which filled him with mixed emotions.

“It was like he knew a rescuer was there,” Hall said. “But he was a little hesitant because he thought they would come back. I think he thought that if he left with me, he would never see that family again.”

Hall understood just how devastated the dog, whom she later named Scooby, was — but she refused to leave without him.

So, she sat by his side and calmly talked to him until he felt comfortable enough to leave.

“We had a long talk,” Hall said. “I told him that his family wasn’t coming back but that he was safe with me.”

Eventually, Hall secured a leash around Scooby’s neck and led him to her van. For the first time in days, Scooby could finally let his guard down — and he knew just how to celebrate.

“He instantly fell asleep once I got him in my van,” Hall said. “He’s so, so sweet. Such a cuddlebug.”

Hall drove straight to Camino Pet Hospital, where a loving team of caregivers treated Scooby’s illnesses. Before long, the loyal boy was feeling better than ever.

“He literally just wiggles his tail now, rolls over and wants belly rubs,” Hall said.

Scooby’s currently spending his days at the pet hospital while he searches for a forever home. For a dog as sweet as Scooby, Hall hopes his happily-ever-after will come sooner rather than later.

“We are desperately looking for the forever family that he deserves,” Hall said. “He’ll never be abandoned ever again.”

To inquire about adopting Scooby, reach out to Suzette Hall on Facebook.

To help pups like Scooby get the help they need, make a donation to Camino Pet Hospital under “Logan’s Legacy 29.”