Earlier this month in Houston, Texas, a man was driving to work when something unusual caught his eye — a pile of discarded furniture scattered along the freeway. As he passed, a small movement between an old couch and a broken TV made him slow down.
Curled up in the freezing air was a tiny 10-week-old puppy, trembling and alone.
The man knew he couldn’t just keep driving. He pulled over, scooped the little pup into his arms, and wrapped him in his jacket. His shift was about to begin, but leaving the puppy behind wasn’t an option.
“It was so cold outside,” shared Karlin Medlin of ThisIsHouston (TIH). “The kind man kept him in his work truck with the heater on all day.”
When he arrived at the job site, the man’s coworkers immediately stepped in to help. They pooled together for dog food and encouraged him to take the pup home for the night. By evening, he reached out to TIH for help — and the puppy’s new journey began.
TIH, a Houston nonprofit focused on saving high-risk dogs, usually works with adults in urgent need of medical care. But the moment they saw the little puppy’s picture, they couldn’t say no.
“We take on tough cases,” Medlin said. “But we also take on little nuggets like Odie — because his life matters, too.”
They named him Odie.
Odie was soon transported to Medlin’s home, where he entered foster care. Despite his rough start, his confidence grew almost instantly — thanks to a new best friend, a pug named Peppa, another rescue who never left his side.
“Peppa’s been his constant companion,” Medlin shared. “She’s our own foster fail, and she welcomed Odie right away.”
Odie didn’t just bond with Peppa — he also fell in love with his foster family’s five children.
“He adores them,” Medlin said. “He’s especially smitten with our 7-year-old son. They’re inseparable.”
Odie’s days quickly filled with what every puppy deserves: endless playtime, plenty of food and treats, and an abundance of love.
As Odie thrived in foster care, TIH began searching for the perfect forever home. Before long, a promising family came forward. Odie is now in a two-week trial run with them, and everyone is hopeful this will be his happy ending.
The Medlins admit they’ll miss having him around, but they couldn’t be happier knowing that Odie is finally stepping into the life he deserves.
“Odie is such a wonderful puppy,” Medlin said. “He deserves the very best forever family — and we’re so glad he found his way to us.”