NFL player Ronnie Stanley is a superstar offensive tackle from the Ravens. He became famous because of his amazing prowess in football but outside the football arena, Ronnie is more than just a superstar NFL player.
Ronnie’s humility and kind-heartedness illuminated when he walked into BARCS Animal Shelter in Baltimore to adopt a dog no one else wanted. People who come to a dog shelter would normally ask for the cutest, healthiest or fluffiest dog but Ronnie asked to adopt the oldest dog who has been there the longest.
“We are looking for dog that’s been here a long time and maybe not-so-adoptable,” Ronnie said.
The BARCS workers were ecstatic because there were plenty of dogs in the shelter that fit Ronnie’s description. With so much excitement, they showed Ronnie and his girlfriend a few dogs that fit his amazing criteria and he ended up bringing home a dog that had been at the shelter the longest time.
The lucky dog Ronnie picked is Winter, a dog who spent most of her life falling into sad, ill-fated situations. Winter was found locked inside a vacant house with closed windows. It was very hot outside and she was alone, scared and dehydrated.
“She was in there with no food, water or fresh air for a week. Winter had been eating the drywall, whether that was because she was starving hungry or as an attempt to escape,” said Bailey Deacon, director of communications at BARCS Animal Shelter.
When they took Winter in, BARCS workers also noticed her low, hanging belly, which was a common result from over-breeding and having too many litters. “Due to her age, her belly is not something that will ever tighten up. Female dogs with such characteristics are often passed by in our shelter,” the shelter wrote on Facebook. This condition caused Winter to be overlooked by most people who want to adopt dogs from the shelter.
Luckily, in one fateful day in June 2016, Winter has caught someone’s attention and adopted her without any hesitation. The day Ronnie went to the shelter with his girlfriend and his teammate, Alexander Lewis, he signed the adoption papers right away and took Winter home that very same day. “Well, that’s just what happens when you’ve had babies,” Ronnie said.
The shelter was very happy and proud of Ronnie for his fearless and thoughtful act that also inspired a lot of people. According to the shelter, “We are so proud to have amazing guys like Ronnie to be role models to the kids in our city. Not only does his single act of kindness make adoption cool, but it makes giving love to an imperfectly perfect dog a ‘manly’ thing to do.”
To better take care of Winter, Ronnie took BARC’s class for new adopters and his teammate also volunteered at the shelter, carrying large bags of dog food.
Winter, on the one hand, had never been so happy and loved. With the help of Ronnie, she was able to leave her dark past behind and moved on to a new, beautiful life with the star of her life.
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