Rebecca Kuritz told Newsweek it “hits me hard when I think of how close he was to death.“
A dog who was labeled “not adoptable“ and risked being euthanized had his life changed forever when one woman took a chance on him. Rebecca Kuritz, 47 a photographer from San Diego, went viral in December as she shared her dog's story to her Threads account, @rebeccakuritz, where thousands of animal lovers followed along in awe.
“He is the complete dog package. I call him the best boyfriend I have ever had, because he is loyal, attentive, fun and a constant source of love,“ Kuritz told Newsweek. “Every single one of these moments we have had with him in our family, every joyful day, every adventure, would never have happened if he had been euthanized. This hits me hard when I think of how close he was to death.“ In the Threads post, she explained how her Malinois dog, Zev, became part of her family after she spotted his photo online—but he “wasn’t made available to the public for adoption, so I couldn’t interact with him. “Through a lot of research and slicing red tape, I found that he was scheduled for euthanasia after being in isolation for 60 days due to severe kennel cough. He was 'not adoptable.'“ Kuritz explained to Newsweek that after learning about overcrowding in Los Angeles shelters, and “the heartbreaking rate at which adoptable dogs are euthanized,“ she decided she had to help—and by 2023, had fostered six dogs, “many of them Malinois and shepherds who were sick, injured, or labeled difficult.“ In January 2024, her house was full to the brim with her own dogs and fosters with additional needs, some of whom had tragic backstories. “They all were safe, loved and happy—but my home was full of movement, children, and the never-ending needs of animals in recovery. I truly was not prepared to take on one more dog.“ But when someone shared a list of dogs in danger of being euthanized at a local shelter, she found Zev—and he stopped her in her tracks. Zev and Rebecca Kuritz “Zev’s notes said he was not unadoptable not only because he was sick, suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection and kennel cough, but also because kennel stress had caused him to shut down. He would not interact with shelter handlers, and his photograph showed his fear, hurt, and uncertainty,“ she said. “He had been stuck in medical isolation for over thirty days and had never been placed on the adoption floor. No one had met him. No one had chosen him. His time was up.“ She was struck by how much Zev looked like two of her current foster Malinois—and later learned they were from the same dumped litter, likely discarded because they were too old for backyard breeders to sell. And as she teamed up with advocacy group Stacy's Hope Rescue, promising to sign a medical liability waiver and agreement to immediately treat his illness, she was finally given permission to adopt him—without ever meeting him. But the moment she came face-to-face with Zev, she knew: “He was mine.“ “He was incredibly thin but visibly joyful. He bounced toward my van with a loose, happy body and a wagging tail. Clear discharge ran from his nose and he coughed deeply, but everything else about him felt hopeful and alive. Alive!“ she said. While Zev, who weighed just 40 pounds, settled quickly, Kuritz quickly realized she would have some work to do with him. He was “completely untrained“ and wild, “frightened by fast movements and terrified of brooms,“ afraid of loud noises, being snuck up on, and of being alone. “But he was loving and soaked up all the attention he was given,“ Kuritz recalled—and he learned quickly, with his severe separation anxiety beginning to retreat after a few months. Despite adopting Zev to save him from euthanasia, Kuritz had never intended to keep him forever, so that she could keep space in her home to foster other dogs in desperate need. And when she was contacted by what appeared to be the perfect, experienced family, she agreed to give it a try. But things didn't work out. Kuritz said the family didn't follow the rules she had put down, and Zev escaped from their yard, being picked up by animal control and returned to her. “He was happy to be back with me, but I still felt I needed to find him a family of his own,“ Kuritz explained. And after vetting another potential adopter, she felt he was a “great choice“—but again, that person “ignored decompression guidelines“ and took the dog to work with him, where Zev escaped yet again. And when a stranger stopped Kuritz on the street, knowing nothing about Zev's story, and told her that they were “meant to be together and not give up on him,“ Kuritz took it as a sign: “I broke my foster rule and decided he was staying, forever.“ Zev now, firmly a part of the family. She worked on bonding with Zev rather than simple obedience training, and Zev began to thrive. It took time, but nine months later, had gone “from unadoptable to the bestest boy.“ “Zev has never been aggressive, but he has been hurt, so I am careful. He was triggered in our van when people would get too close. Never angry, but would bark people away as a warning. I later learned he had lived in a car with his siblings, which made him protective of my van,“ she said. But this has proved a positive, as Kuritz revealed Zev has “protected me on multiple occasions,“ particularly on solo road trips where she had been “approached aggressively.“ “He is incredibly intelligent. He can open doors, windows, and even crate locks. Yet he chooses to stay home with his family, always close, never wandering,“ she said, and Zev now joins her at work events which might include photographing festivals with lots of noise and people. Kuritz has continued fostering, giving “safe harbor“ to “unadoptable“ dogs, alongside her work and raising kids as a single mom, to keep as many dogs as possible off euthanasia lists. According to the LA Animal Services, an official website of the City of Los Angeles, healthy and adoptable pets are at risk of euthanasia due to a lack of space, with shelters overwhelmed by the number of dogs in need. The website reads: “Overcrowding leads to bite incidents, altercations between co-housed animals, and humane concerns. Our system was designed to house no more than 775 dogs and puppies at any time and we are currently above that capacity. By communicating transparently with the public that help is urgently needed, we are hoping to prevent euthanasia due to lack of capacity in our shelters.“ As Kuritz put it: “My kids and I look at the lives are thriving because we said yes. “We keep in touch with nearly every single dog we have fostered and adopted. But the reward is huge. Just look at Zev.“ Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Barron Trump may have saved woman’s life by calling British policeBasic
Read more »
The man who saved two strangers’ lives on a mountainMadalin Cristea was battling wind on Mont Blanc when he ran into two other hikers near the summit. All three men believe their lives were changed that day.
Read more »
Barron Trump saved woman he saw getting beaten on FaceTime, UK court hearsA friend of President Trump’s youngest son, Barron, said that he saved her life by calling the cops when he saw her getting beat up by a man during a FaceTime call.
Read more »
Franklin County Dog Shelter offers free emergency dog boarding during winter stormThe Franklin County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center has launched an emergency boarding program for dogs owned by residents seeking refuge in warming centers.
Read more »
Mel Brooks Nearly Cut This ‘Young Frankenstein’ Joke Until a Test Audience Saved ItMarty Feldman and Gene Wilder as Igor and Dr. Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein
Read more »
An Irish Whiskey Distillery Was Just Saved by a Group of American InvestorsAfter entering receivership, Irish distillery Powerscourt is being purchased by an American investment group
Read more »