Update On Hulk: A Dog In Need Of A Forever Home

JOHNSTON, RI—Saturday morning, Hulk, the Shepherd mix, looked up at the camera with a bemused expression. His foster mom, Liz Davis, figured she knew what he meant. So she put this caption to the photo: "Happy Caturday, everyone. I think I'm living with too many cats. lol"

But a "caturday" morning hardly amounts to a challenge for a dog that was living on the streets in Jordan. Hulk had to fend for himself. Then a car hit him, and people left him for dead. A disabled Jordanian man saw him and stood by him until people helped. Then a good Samaritan stepped up, nursed Hulk back to health and connected him to a rescue in the U.S. He and Davis "video chat" practically every day, so Hulk hears his voice and knows he's checking in.

Tiger's Den, a rescue based in Cranston, found Hulk's story on social media, made the arrangements to bring him to America and then found Davis. They typically deal with cats, but made an exception for Hulk. The cat connection, though, meant his foster mom is a bit of a cat person.

Davis has eight cats, and Hulk is the first dog in the house in a long time, she said.

"I owned one dog 12 years ago," she said. And her brother has a dog. So, she understands how to deal with cats and a dog in the house. The kitties and the dog do fine together.

"They do have to be introduced properly," she said. And she does keep a watchful eye because one of her cats isn't sure she gave Hulk permission to sit on the bed. He has a twin bed, and one of the cats tries to snuggle in with him.

Davis said she's become "so attached" to Hulk since he arrived Feb. 10. But she's confident she can send him off to a new family when the time comes. She has fostered many times and isn't afraid of the day when one of her charges leaves for a new home.

"It's easy for me," she said. "I have a ton of cats." In the meantime, they're spending all their time together and enjoying each other's company. Her cat Cali and Hulk have become special friends. Some rescue colleagues have suggested she might want to "back off" a little so it won't be so hard when Hulk leaves. But that's not her way, Davis said.

Hulk needs a forever home, she said. Her house is small, and he might like more space and full-size bed, she said, although sometimes those things don't matter so much as a family that loves him.

"We're looking for that perfect home," Davis said. "We won't settle for anything less." She figures Hulk should be in a house with children because he loves them.

"If a child is walking by, he tries to follow them," she said. "He's so good. He is truly the best dog in the whole wide world."

Hulk does have some special needs. He has been fitted with a cart to help him navigate without his back legs. Davis uses it when they go outside for walks. Otherwise, he copes.

"He just drags himself around the house," she said, and he meets her at the door when she comes home.

Jordan Bouclin, of RI Pet Network, said a new owner who's involved with pet therapy would be ideal for Hulk. He could contribute a lot by visiting children who are in hospitals, especially youngsters unable to walk themselves. He also has an offer for free training as a therapy dog.

"He could certainly be used as a therapy dog to visit/help special needs people," Bouclin said. "He just couldn't be someone's service dog, which is something a few people have inquired about. Therapy dogs provide more emotional support, comfort and motivation to individuals or groups, whereas a service dog is highly trained to perform certain tasks (i.e. seeing eye dog, seizure alert dog, etc.) and works only with one handler/owner. Hulk would not be able to be service-dog certified but we think he could do any kind of therapy dog work."

Anyone interested in adopting Hulk can find the application on his Facebook page. That's also where his fans can follow his story.

Courtesy Photo Credit: Danielle Deely