Salvatore was not deterred despite the fact that no one had entered the Florida property in weeks. Every day, the  dog quietly sat outside the door, guarded the Forbidden House and hoped that his family would return.

When Gloria Cabal, a local dog rescuer, noticed Salvatore at his post, she knew that she had to help.

Cabal tried for about a month to persuade Salvatore to her with water, food and candy, but the frightened young man refused to give up his courtyard.

When a new Realtor pushed Salvatore to the neighboring Orange Park, he realized that his family would not return. Salvatore approached cabal and allowed her to take him to the rescue of the Everglades Angels dog.

Dennis Guevara, an Everglades Angels employee, told The Dodo, ” he was very protective of his yard.”He basically guarded his things, but not angrily or fiercely.”

Salvatore immediately warmed up to the kind staff after his rescue. The staff at Everglades Angels was devastated that the dog, which people clearly liked, had been abandoned.

“He is a favorite of volunteers,”Guevara added. “From what we can say, he grew up in a family.”

Salvatore, who earlier refused to approach strangers, became one of the best members of the shelter, often begging for pets and jumping on the couch to hug people’s hugs.

“He is absolutely loved,”Guevara said.

Salvatore is now available for adoption through the Everglades Angels, and the staff is sure he will find a loving home soon.

Salvatore will get a second chance with a family that will never give up on him, thanks to the many sympathetic animal lovers who refused to give up.