Shelter worker tried not to get attached, then a starving dog ate a Croc shoe, and she adopted him

An animal shelter worker failed at their job, and they and one lucky dog are both better off for it. 

What happened?

Sharing the story in a post on Reddit, the shelter employee said they had spent years trying "to not get too attached to any animals. And then came Croc."

When Croc, the stray dog, was found, his condition was critical.

"He was found near a junkyard, severely emaciated, knee bones protruding through his skin, and he had consumed a foreign object that was causing him some intestinal problems," the OP wrote. "Come to find out he was so hungry he ate an entire Croc shoe."

The shelter then had to remove the shoe through surgery while also treating the wounds on his knees.

By the end of the post, the employee shared that the case had become deeply personal, writing: "So how did I fail? Got way too attached and guess what? Now I'm adopting him."

Why does it matter?

Abandoned and neglected animals can arrive at shelters suffering from severe malnourishment, untreated wounds, and dangerous intestinal blockages. Treatment in cases like this often requires extensive medical care.

The main cause of Croc's condition is also concerning: discarded textile waste. A shoe in an open trash can or on the side of the road is not only harmful to the environment, but it can become life-threatening to pets or other wildlife that consume it, either because they're starving or mistake it for food. 

What are people saying?

Commenters were as happy for the failure as the OP was. 

"Best failure ever!" one said. "Love seeing this amid all the poor animals on euthanasia lists."

"Congrats on failing, it will be the best thing you've ever done, professionally or personally!" another agreed.

"Thank you so much," said one more. "May Croc only sniff Crocs from now on. No more eating them."

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.