When the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens Offensive Tackle #79 Ronnie Stanley approached the front desk of BARCS Animal Shelter with his girlfriend and team mate Alexander Lewis (#72), he had a request that surprised and delighted the staff. He said, “We are looking for dog that’s been here a long time and maybe not-so-adoptable.”
The Baltimore shelter admits that “not-so-adoptable” can mean a lot of things. “Senior pets, physically imperfect, on-going medical and more,” they wrote.
BARCS matchmakers showed Ronnie and his girlfriend a few pets and one named Winter caught his eye.
Photo credit: BARCS Animal Shelter
“Beautiful Winter is a dog who has spent most of her six years of life falling into sad, unfortunate situations. She was found on a vacant property, on a hot day with no electricity, or open windows,” explained BARCS. She was dehydrated and extremely frightened.
Winter has a long, hanging belly, mostly likely a result of over breeding – something we see far too often at our shelter. Due to her age, her belly is not something that will ever tighten up. Female dogs with such characteristics are often passed by in our shelter – but not by Ronnie!”
“Ronnie’s thought on Winter’s belly, as recalled by our volunteers: ‘Well, that’s just what happens when you’ve had babies’. He was much more interested in getting lots of face kisses from Winter and falling in love, rather than being worried about the appearance of her tummy.”
Photo credit: BARCS Animal Shelter
Winter seemed equally smitten with the football player and just like that Winter went from “discarded” to beloved family pet of the Raven’s 2016 first-round pick!
BARCs says that adopting Winter was not only amazing but also gives young people a wonderful example about shelter animals.
“We are so proud to have amazing guys like Ronnie to be role models to the kids in our city,” the group wrote. “Not only does his single act of kindness make adoption cool, but it makes giving love to an imperfectly perfect dog a ‘manly’ thing to do.”
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