Meet the Refugee Rescue dog from Turkey Who Inspired a Book

Armando Gonzalez-Perez lives in America, but when he was young, he fled from his native Cuba in an attempt to find stability and safety. Over the years, he has accomplished many things. One of those things involves adopting older dogs from other countries that have been abandoned by their owners. In short, these dogs become sort of the poster children for animal refugees across the world. He has always had a soft spot for Golden Retrievers, meaning that he typically adopts a lot of dogs from places like Turkey, where this particular breed is immensely popular. According to him, the problem is that when the dogs get older, they are typically abandoned by their owners because of the predominant culture there. Most people won’t allow the dogs inside their homes. Therefore, when they get older and begin to have health problems, they are often abandoned to live out their days in the streets. The fortunate few are rescued and eventually find their way to some type of animal sanctuary or into the homes of people like Gonzalez-Perez. This is how the story of Chance, a seven year old Golden Retriever, began.

Rescuing Animals Can Be Heartbreaking

Anyone that has spent a significant amount of time with animals will tell you that a love for animals can give you some of the best moments of your life, but it can also bring you some of the most heartbreaking experiences that you will ever have. Any person who has ever adopted a pet and then been forced to put that pet down knows what it feels like to have your spirit completely broken. Gonzalez-Perez also knows what it feels like, as he had just put down an older Golden Retriever that he had adopted not even a full year before he heard about Chance. In fact, he and the dog that he had before he adopted Chance had only been together for approximately nine months when he was forced to euthanize the dog due to health issues. Most people wouldn’t be in a position to even consider adopting another dog so soon, but Gonzalez-Perez has made it his mission in life to take in as many unwanted dogs as possible. Since it would be almost impossible to adopt several dogs at once (unless you have unlimited space and funds of course), Gonzalez-Perez makes a habit of continuously adopting new dogs whenever he loses one in an attempt to give as many dogs as possible a shot at a good life. Therefore, when he heard about Chance, he was willing to at least give it a try.

Off To A Rocky Start

The thing he remembers most about his first day with Chance is that the dog immediately walked inside his home, then proceeded to both urinate and defecate on the floor. It was at that moment that Gonzalez-Perez started to wonder if he had made a mistake. Nevertheless, he made the decision to at least give the dog an opportunity to prove himself. He told the rescue agency that had flown Chance over that he would keep him for three days and see how things went. At that particular moment, he wasn’t at all certain that he and the dog would still be together after those three days were up. Nevertheless, he was willing to give it a go. He says that the thing that amazed him the most is that the dog’s behavior began to change almost immediately after that initial incident. It was as if he realized that he didn’t have to be afraid anymore, almost like he knew that he was in the hands of someone who would love him and care for him in a way that he had never experienced before in his life. As such, his behavior started to change for the better. He and Gonzalez-Perez quickly began to get along.

Helping Each Other

One of the stories that Gonzalez-Perez is most fond of telling involves how he and Chance got lost in the woods one day, only for Chance to rescue him. He recounts that they had gone deep into the woods on a walk when he realized that he was lost. He pulled out his cell phone, only to realize that he had no service in that area. He remembers how Chance seemed to almost immediately sense that something was wrong. He sprung into action, leading Gonzalez-Perez out of the woods. Having spent a great deal of time around dogs, he is quick to point out that they have a way of knowing when a person is scared, upset or not feeling well. As such, their behavior almost always changes during these times in order to facilitate helping the people they care about as much as possible.

An Inspiring Story

Gonzalez-Perez, a writer, decided to tell Chance’s story in a fictional book inspired by his relationship with this unique and loving dog. He is quick to point out that when he got Chance, the dog was initially named Scoit, a name derived from Scotland. This serves as the starting point for the book he wrote that is designed to inspire families to come together and meet challenges head-on. He says that he hopes families will read the book while sitting together, as it is designed to bring everyone in the family closer to one another during both the happier moments and the more challenging ones. While the story is fictional, it is entirely based on the relationship that he and Chance have developed, not to mention many of the adventures that the two have been on together. Looking back, Gonzalez-Perez is immensely grateful that he made the decision to give Chance an opportunity. Those three days changed both of their lives. He hopes that people will think about that the next time they are faced with something challenging. As opposed to immediately turning one’s back on another living, breathing creature and running for whatever feels comfortable, it’s important to stretch oneself and take those risks. Great things can happen on the other side of those types of experiences.