“I would be lying if I said seeing [him] like that didn’t invoke emotions right away.”

By Maeve Dunigan

Published on July 17, 2026 at 9:00 AM

Adapting to life in a shelter can be hard for any dog. But for a deaf dog like Smudge, living in a loud, confusing environment is especially difficult.

Smudge was just 2 months old when he was rescued from a neglectful living situation with 21 other dogs and transported to the Pennsylvania SPCA (PSPCA). The pup spent a short time in the shelter’s care before he was adopted. However, a year later, Smudge’s family realized they no longer had the capacity to care for him, and he ended up at the shelter again.

Smudge was overwhelmed but glad to see some of his old friends. Alone in his kennel, he stared out the window, perhaps decompressing, wondering when he might have a new place to call home.

“I would be lying if I said seeing Smudge like that didn’t invoke emotions right away,” rescue team member Lindsey King told The Dodo. “As people, we always think about what dogs are thinking, and I just couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking as he was just sitting out looking at the field.”

King and other rescue staff used shadows on the wall to get Smudge’s attention.

“He was happy to see us and came up to take treats from the kennel,” King said.

PSPCA rescuers were patient with Smudge. They continued his training, teaching him to respond to hand signals rather than vocal commands.

“Deaf dogs just need a little more attention, but many, like Smudge, [catch] on quickly,” King said.

Eventually, a family arrived at the shelter looking for a new pet. They told rescue staff that they lived next door to a loud garage, and they were worried the noise might scare their future dog.

Rescuers immediately knew who to pair them with.

“When I showed them how we communicated, not only did Smudge light up, but the family did as well,” King said. “They were so excited to learn his signals and see how he knew them and loved working this way. At that moment, it really felt like a good fit.”

Today, Smudge is happily settled with his new family. Shelter staff are thrilled for Smudge, and they hope every dog at the shelter (including Smudge’s sibling, Omicron, who’s still waiting) can one day enjoy the same contentment.

“Every animal deserves someone who sees past the circumstances and sees them,” PSPCA wrote in a Facebook post. “For Smudge, that someone came along at just the right time. Happy Home achieved.

To help other animals like Smudge, you can donate to PSP

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Daily Dodo
Wildlife

Homeowner Wakes To A Security Notification And Finds Someone ‘Surreal’ At Her Door

“I honestly couldn’t believe my eyes …”

By Alana Francis-Crow

Last year, a resident of Queensland, Australia, named Susanna Tolo was woken up early by a notification on her phone. Her home security app notified her that someone was at the front door — but she wasn’t expecting any visitors.

“I remember thinking, ‘Who in the world is outside my door this early?’” Tolo told The Dodo.

Tolo checked the footage from her security camera and was taken aback by what she saw. Right in front of her house, there was a little koala.

“I honestly couldn’t believe my eyes,” Tolo said. “I jumped out of bed, ran downstairs in my pj’s, and at the same time, was yelling at my kids to wake up.”

As soon as Tolo opened the front door, she spotted the koala. He was hugging one of her house’s columns and staring calmly at her.

“It was the cutest and most surreal thing,” Tolo said.

There’s a small nature preserve near Tolo’s house, which is where the homeowner assumed the little marsupial had come from. She guessed that the koala was just a few years old and in the process of finding his own territory away from his mom.

As much as Tolo was delighted to have the adorable koala right outside her home, she knew he needed to be in a more natural environment for his own safety.

“Because we live in a residential area, I immediately worried that he might wander onto the road and get hit by a car,” Tolo said. “I wanted to make sure he was safe.”

Tolo called Wildcare Australia, a local animal rescue, to come help. The rescuers assessed the koala’s health and found he was in perfect shape, then relocated him to a safer area just 20 minutes away from Tolo’s home.

“They even sent me a photo afterwards of him happily sitting in a eucalyptus tree,” Tolo said.

Tolo was incredibly relieved that the marsupial was safe and sound in nature, where he belonged. And although it’s been a year now since the koala showed up outside her home, she looks back fondly on the encounter often.

“It was such a surreal moment to have a koala literally turn up on our doorstep,” Tolo said.

To keep up with Tolo, you can follow her on Instagram.

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