'I adopted abandoned dog and one heartwarming gesture made it all worth while'

Sadly the many stories of abandoned dogs is all too common. Often dog shelter workers might find a microchip inside an animal, while another might be rescued from a Lidl car park.

Either way, there's a new heartwarming story every day and this latest one might just make you tear up. Mark opened up about the heartbreaking story in a lengthy post on TikTok under the account soulpaws_tails which allows people to share their own case. It all begun when he saw a photo of the dog, who was unnamed at the time and nearly placed on the euthanasia list.

But Mark saw a picture of the pup who "looked very sad and thin" then named him Dexter.

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At first, he didn't have a name because no one wanted to adopt him.

After being found in the streets of Georgia, US, in 2019, and arrived at the shelter about 10lbs underweight with half his fur missing due to fleas and sun damage.

Dexter was house trained and knew basic commands so he most likely had lived in a home before.

In the clip, which garnered 6,100 likes, Mark revealed: "In the southern US, bully breeds like pit bulls, sadly have a very low chance of being adopted and once they're added to the euthanasia list, their fate becomes even more uncertain.

"Dexter had been at the shelter for weeks without a single inquiry, then a rescue group called Fly With Me noticed him and decided to step in."

Mark also recalled the first moment he met Dexter, one that changed everything for him. "He jumped all over us like he'd known us forever," he admitted.

"Most rescue dogs need time to adjust but Dexter felt calm and at peace."

He added: "From the very first moment he came home, he bonded with our cat Zoe incredibly fast, he's so gentle with her, they're always sleeping next to each other.

"At first I planned to set some ground rules, like no dogs on the couch or the bed, but guess you broke that rule within just two or three days, yep me.

"My fiancé still teases me about the day she came home to find me and Dexter napping on the couch together, he's the friendliest dog I've ever known, but sadly we've also encountered some judgemental people."

Discussing one heartbreaking moment, Mark revealed how an elderly woman warned him: "That creature is going to attack you in your sleep one night," a sentence which stuck with him for so long.

But none of it mattered to Mark as their bond is "unlike anything" he ever experienced. Along the way, Mark even faced health struggles where he was diagnosed with Lupus and developed a blood clot in his right leg.

Mark explained: "We've been fight through everything together to me Dexter's like a therapist.

"He's so in tune with my emotions that even if I don't say a word or move a muscle he somehow knows when I'm stressed.

"He quickly walks over, lies down on my lap and just like that everything gets a little bit easier.

"Dexter's energy has made me a more active person too, we go to the beach together, he runs like crazy and digs like he's on a mission.

"Sometimes he even sprints through the hallways at full speed and he absolutely loves jumping on the bed."

Since the video was shared, people were left touched by Mark's kindness. One said: "He's beautiful, thank goodness you found each other."

Another added: "God bless you for saving this beautiful dog." A third gushed: "That's a beautiful story. Go you and Dexter!"