A thick layer of dark clouds hung low in the sky, while the weary pitter-patter of rain settled into the muddy grass—as if the raindrops themselves were tired of falling again and again in the gloomy gray air. Even the morning seemed reluctant to wake.

This somber mood mirrored the sight of a small, isolated figure lying on a filthy blanket in the middle of the park, shivering in the sharp, chilly wind. Frosty raindrops clung stubbornly to the matted, dirt-caked fur that covered its thin, fragile body.

An adorable Shih Tzu was unfortunately found abandoned on December 18, 2024 at the South Windsor Dog Park at around 6am, with nothing on him but a scraggly layer of tangled fur. And, South Windsor residents have been wondering since then whatever happened to this helpless abandoned animal at their local park. 

Well, fate thankfully favored Charlie, because Dani Briggs, a fellow South Windsor resident, saw this post on the CT Message Board and was immediately intrigued.

Dani Briggs sadly described the pitiful state that she found Charlie in.

“He was terribly overgrown and dirty – his breed, (Shih tzu/Lhasa Apso) has hair that grows and needs frequent grooming/trimming,” she said. “He had clearly not had his hair cut in his life; he couldn’t see through the tangled mats, and it affected his mobility.”

She told The Prowl that a woman discovered him at the South Windsor Dog Park that morning and immediately notified the police.

“The police brought him to Ruff n’ Tumble to be groomed; they shaved off 1.5 lbs of fur, almost in a single piece (he weighed about 13 lbs when he was picked up),” Dani Briggs explained.

Dani was deeply affected by this woeful injustice.

“My heart dropped,” she said. “Seeing any animal in that kind of shape is heartbreaking, and especially since it was freezing outside.”

Mr. Nate Briggs, her husband, wholesomely agreed with the dreadfulness of the situation. 

“Like anybody else, you feel terrible for any animal who is not treated the way that animals should be treated,” Nate Briggs said. “It’s just terrible.”

The Briggs family were sympathetic for Charlie’s previous owners, knowing that they shouldn’t be judged without knowing the circumstances. However, they emphasize that deserting a pet is never the best choice.

“Not that it makes it right, but my heart also sympathized with the previous owners,” Dani said. “They clearly wanted him to be found right away to choose the dog park as the location to leave him. In some way, it makes me feel that they cared for him; I don’t know their circumstances and try not to judge. But, abandonment is never the answer.”

However, the sadness of this case was not the sole reason for Dani Briggs’ fascination; she had a deeper, more emotional backstory that connected her to this charming little companion.

“As fate would have it, we had just said goodbye to our 13-year-old dog, Linus, two days before I saw the post,” Dani said. “He resembled him so much.”

However, while this mere resemblance indicated that Charlie could possibly fill a bit of the emptiness that Linus’s death had brought upon their family, it wasn’t the only message fate had in store.

“The next post from the SW Police mentioned that they named him Charlie, and I just knew,” she told The Prowl. “We had a Peanuts’ theme for our pets: Linus, our other dog Lucy, and our cat, Franklin. I called the police station back right away to express my interest in adopting him; it just felt like it was meant to be.” 

And ‘meant to be’ they were! Soon, the little bit of hope left in Charlie landed him into a house full of happiness and welcome!

“I called the police station back right away to express my interest in adopting him; it just felt like it was meant to be,” Dani explained. “We adopted him on January 1, 2025 – we were still grieving Linus and my husband wasn’t quite ready yet, but I went with the ‘it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission’ strategy.  Needless to say, it didn’t take long for my husband to come around.”

Nate agreed that it was definitely difficult to escape the grief of losing their beloved dog, Linus, but eventually, his wife’s reasoning and his own pure, affectionate emotions towards animals convinced him to introduce a new member to their family.

“My wife was definitely the driving force around adopting Charlie,” Nate told The Prowl. “It’s also that, I just have a love for all animals. Of course, I wasn’t quite ready to adopt a dog yet, because we had just lost Linus. But that love for animals told me it would be completely fine, and I would grow to love Charlie as much as any other pet.”

Even their two kids had something to say. They expressed their opinions on their emotions after adopting Charlie.

“We weren’t sure what to think, since we just lost Linus,” Logan Briggs said. “But, we were excited.”

And as time has passed, Charlie has definitely earned his beloved spot in the family as an ultimate source of cuteness and comfort. The family notes Charlie’s development, going from a lonely, ragged stray to a comfortable, loving friend. 

“It has been incredible to see the changes in him as he has new life experiences for the first time; from a new place being scratched, new toys, going for walks, playing and running in the yard,” Dani said. “I just get the sense that he is so happy to be here.”

The Briggs family have placed emphasis on the new source of pleasure that radiates from their little Charlie.

“The joy is seeing the transformation of this sad unkept animal to now,” Nate said. “Being this loving, excited pet, you can tell he is so happy. Knowing that is the broadest joy.”

The kids also have loving perspectives towards their new pet, noting everything from amusing actions to how car journeys have grown to be more enjoyable!

“He has a funny, energetic personality, and he also looks so funny when he ‘sploots’ (laying with his back legs out),” Logan said. “He’s also our first dog who loves the car. He lays between us, and when he sees his harness, he jumps up and begs with his front paws.”

However, contrary to all of these positive opinions about this adorable dog, Dani Briggs shares with us a hilarious experience that they had a bit of trouble overcoming.

“The biggest challenge was acclimating him to our cat, he clearly had not seen a cat before (aka large, moving toy to chase),” she told The Prowl. “It took months for them to form their begrudging relationship, but I think it is safe to say they are friends now. The biggest joy is seeing the continuing change. He sleeps on his back in full trust of his surroundings, has become a stellar snuggler, and is simply a joy.”

Overall, this great deed gave this family lots of warm satisfaction to know that they helped change a life. Dani Briggs gives us an insight about the valuable wisdom she gained from her beloved pet.

“It is very rewarding to have a rescue,” Dani said. “We remind ourselves and our kids that he grew up for over two years completely matted, dirty, and fairly immobile. Yet, he is a happy-go-lucky pup full of joy despite his early hardships. Animals can teach us the best lessons.”

However, moving on to this pressing issue of animal abandonment, it’s important to note that this type of occurrence isn’t only happening in South Windsor, but it’s increasing day by day in several other U.S. states.

In Connecticut itself, over six cases were reported over a small period of a couple days, and this trend is increasing all over the country.

On October 1st, over 200 abandoned animals were found in a small space in New York. This circumstance was defined as hoarding, and all of these animals without owners were suffering from sickness, unhygienic conditions, and starvation.

In Juneau County, Alaska, it has been reported that over 400 abandoned animals were recovered by authorities, as recently as October 7. 

The Briggs family respectfully acknowledges the different variations of the situation. However, it’s important to spread the word to anybody who’s struggling with their pets.

“Everyone has changing circumstances, and in some cases, are unable to keep their pets – it is a difficult decision,” Dani said. “Surrendering to shelters and the Humane Society is the best way to go.” 

As economic problems bring tough burdens onto little shoulders, it’s everybody’s responsibility to help bring those burdens down and help our little friends live cozy, convenient lives they deserve to live.

Do it not only to relieve the suffering of those hundreds of animals. Do it not only for the satisfaction you get when your actions help someone’s life become something they love and appreciate. Just do it for all of those delightful souls like Charlie, who, even when the mornings won’t wake up for them, they still wake up and keep hoping for a beautiful sunrise. Help them get the mornings they deserve.