Lily pressed her face against the bars, babbling happily, and Ranger’s ears twitched at the sound. The shelter tech, Maria, cleared her throat gently. “Before you finalize this… there’s something you should know.” Emily and David exchanged a look. Maria pulled a thin file from the cabinet.
“Ranger came in from a previous owner who intended to train him as a guard dog. But instead of proper training, he….” She hesitated, choosing her words. “…he was treated harshly. Very harshly.” David stiffened. “What does that mean, exactly?” “He was underweight,” Maria said softly.