As pet owners, we are expected to look after our buddies with utmost care.

We are good pet owners not only because we feed them well, but because we exercise with them, take them to their regular check-ups, and most especially, give them a warm and nurturing home.

These are things that this little pup missed out on.

When he was found by PETA fieldworkers, Capone was standing inside a wire dog crate the size of a small box.

There isn’t much space to move around. Capone stands in the same spot where he sits and where he sleeps. That’s how small the space is.

If Capone isn’t cooped up in that tiny cage, he’s tethered to a porch that doesn’t look any better.

The limited range where he can walk is littered with scrap wood, his waste, and other pieces of trash.

He drinks filthy water from a flimsy plastic container. More than that, he’s exposed to the elements since he has to stay outside.

The fieldworkers had to send cans of dog food and fill his sleeping area with hay and straw just so it could be a bit warm.

They offered Capone’s owner that they could give the dog a better life, his owner just insisted he “liked it in there.” But if one could see the conditions where Capone had to spend his days in, they can tell that nothing is likable about it.

Not giving up on Capone, the fieldworkers gave him treats so he can feel loved nonetheless.

They tried to improve his living conditions to the best of their abilities. A window of opportunity came though when the owner had to leave Capone for hospice care. The family let them take Capone for good and it gave them a chance to give him a better life.

Capone’s life changed in an instant.

He got adopted and is now living in Florida. As Capone zoomed across the wide green backyard, you’d know that he was not made for the tiny coop he once lived in. He was not made to be tied up to a post and just watch the world go by around him. He was made to run free, play around, and live his best life.

He even has a sister named Luna who’s teaching him how to be a dog. Back then, the only world he knew was the four corners of the small wire coop or the small circle he can walk around the porch pillar.

Now, he can run around in wide parks and expansive beachhead.

He can bathe in the sunshine while enjoying hard-earned belly rubs. He can wear bowties instead of the metal leash that dictated how big his world should be.

Feeding time is now comprised of his “Happy Food Dance” rituals. He can finally give back the affection he receives. He even got his own warm bed that he can sleep comfortably in.

His life of being alone in that dank wire coop is behind him now.

Despite living in harsh conditions, Capone, now named Apple Jack, has embraced his new life to the fullest.

Our pets are not just there to guard porches or keep us company. They need love, nourishment, and a place to let them be who they are. Just like us, they deserve a good life, and it’s our responsibility to give it to them.