A little over a month ago, Sam Goodrich had just finished a hike when he stopped at a McDonald’s to get something to eat. He was sitting in his truck as the rain started coming down hard outside when he noticed a blond dog making his way through the parking lot.
The dog was moving between the cars, apparently looking for food. Sam watched as he approached one vehicle after another until eventually he reached his truck. Thinking he could at least give the hungry dog something to eat, Sam opened the door, placed a hamburger on the ground and tried to shield him from the rain with an umbrella.
He ignored the hamburger and jumped straight into the truck.
Once inside, the dog settled down and went to sleep. Sam hadn’t been looking for a dog that day and bringing one home certainly hadn’t been part of the plan. But with the rain pouring outside and his unexpected passenger already curled up inside, he couldn’t bring himself to put him back out on the street, so he took him home.
@sam_theadventurer Well, there’s a reason I’ve been quiet lately…this little guy has changed my life 🩵
The first order of business was getting him cleaned up. It took several baths to remove the dirt and fleas, and the following day Sam brought him to the veterinarian to find out if there were any bigger health problems to worry about.
Fortunately, the news was reassuring. He tested negative for heartworm and parasites and was otherwise healthy. He still needed vaccines, medication, parasite prevention, food and all the basic supplies that come with suddenly having a dog to care for. Sam later shared that the first veterinary visit alone came to $595.33.
He also gave his new houseguest a name: Gus.
At that point, Sam still wasn’t necessarily planning on keeping him. The idea was to give Gus somewhere safe to stay, get him the care he needed and figure out what should happen next. Sam started a GoFundMe to help cover those expenses while Gus began adjusting to a very different kind of life.
Gus seemed much more accustomed to being outside than living in a home. There were times when he struggled to settle down indoors, even after going for a walk. But what also became obvious very quickly was how gentle he was.
Over the following weeks, Gus began settling into Sam’s everyday life. He found his place on the couch, filled Sam’s camera roll and slowly adjusted to having a person and a home of his own.
The temporary plan didn’t stay temporary for long.
When Sam eventually shared Gus’ story with his followers, he explained that the original idea had simply been to help him get back on his feet while figuring out what came next. By then, the answer was clear: Gus was staying.
His story quickly reached far beyond Sam’s own page. People shared his posts, donated toward his care and sent messages about dogs of their own. One follower even sent Gus his first package from his wishlist, including a new travel bottle for their next adventure.
Gus is still getting used to his new routines, but now he has someone thinking about his vet appointments, buying his food and making room for him on the couch.
And for now, that seems like a pretty good place to be.
Sources: Sam Goodrich and Gus’s Second Chance.
