I subscribe to The Dodo and read this article last Wednesday!

This may be Columbia and a long way from where a great number of people live but it is still a most beautiful story.

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Kind Man Living On Streets Adopts Every Stray Dog He Comes Across

“They’re everything to me” 💕

By Ashley Ortiz, Published on Dec 27, 2024.

They say that home is where the heart is, and that couldn’t be more true for a man named Rubén and his pack of rescued dogs.

Despite not having a home of his own, Rubén, who goes by Noé, is dedicated to sharing his space and resources with every homeless dog in his Colombian city. Whether they’ve been left behind at a stop light or abandoned in an apartment, Noé believes in giving each dog he meets a second chance at love.

“They are living beings,” Noé said in an interview with IguanaTV. “They are everything to me.”

Noé’s pack is ever-growing, as he readily collects abandoned dogs of all ages and sizes. While it all started with just one dog, his furry family is now large enough to require a double-decker push cart.

Each dog has their own unique backstory, but they’re all loved by Noé just the same.

“This is Rocky. They left him tied up there at that traffic light,” Noé said. “These two girls are named Ears and Cheeks. I’ve had them since they were little. They were also abandoned.”

Rocky, Ears and Cheeks ride on the top level of the push cart with their siblings, a pit bull named Tyson and a German shepherd named Shakira. Below them, senior pups Tembleque, Parkinson and Morochito happily take in the world around them.

“These dogs down below are the oldest,” Noé said. “Little Morochito here was left for me while I was sleeping outside of [the store].”

The pups may have heartbreaking pasts, but their sadness has faded since being adopted by Noé. When they’re not actively traveling around the city with their beloved dad, the pack of dogs can usually be found enjoying a fresh meal made by Noé.

“I buy them milk, carrots and oats, and I combine them with ground meat and seeds,” Noé said. “I make them a hearty meal so that they eat well.”

Seeing the pups lap up their meals brings joy to Noé, even when he hasn’t eaten yet.

“They eat first,” Noé said. “My food is less important to me.”

Once the pups have finished eating, Noé usually snacks on an arepa and some coffee before heading off with his pack again. With his dogs by his side, Noé feels a sense of purpose and peace.

“The dogs keep me busy and give me a reason to wake up every day,” Noé said. “They don’t care if I’m bearded, toothless, dirty or clean. They only care that I’m by their side.”

This growing companionship is beyond fulfilling for Noé. Even on his most challenging days, Noé knows he can always lean on his beloved pack of rescued dogs for unconditional support.

“A dog’s love is the best there is,” Noé said.

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The two photographs are presented by INSTAGRAM/@IGUANATV. (And the article is published with the kind permission of The Dodo.)

One can’t do better than repeat that last sentence: “A dog’s love is the best there is,”.

Well said, Rubén!