The heartbreaking photo of a stray pup’s longing gaze at beloved pets (plus the happy ending)
The world can be a cruel, lonely place, for humans and animals alike. A photographer in the Philippines perfectly captured that sentiment in a photo of a stray puppy staring intently at a group of people and their beloved furbabies.
Anthony Piedad Jugo, who lives in Cebu, posted the photo last month along with an eloquent caption: I wonder what the lucky ones felt? Because He’s alone, hungry, sad, scared and wondering what it feels to be like them. Reality hits so different today. Unfair at its finest. That’s life..
The photo clearly struck a chord, having racked up over 70,000 shares and thousands of comments, many from folks concerned about the puppy’s welfare.
But don’t worry, this story has a happy ending.
Anthony told Philstar.com that he had been working on photoshoot when he noticed the puppy and snapped the viral pic. When he returned to the area a few days later and saw the same puppy again, he decided to adopt the pooch and name him Hopper. He took his new furbaby to the vet to receive treatment and medication.
Since then, he’s been documenting life with Hopper, who finally knows the kind of love he had once only been able to gaze at from afar.
Anthony also made a point of mentioning that the dog owners in the background of his original photo reached out to let them know their dogs were also adopted aspins (mongrels) like Hopper. He apologized to them for any negative reaction they received due to his photo, writing “This post is not to make someone feel bad but to raise awareness that this is happening not only in animals but in us humans. How cruel life can be sometimes.. Some are facing their own silent battles and struggles to live while others are enjoying the favors of life. That’s how it is.”
