Every day, people in a particular neighborhood, including passersby, noticed that stray dogs always visited the same homeless beggar. Curious to find out why, a woman asked the beggar why he always had many stray dogs flocking around him, and his reason shocked the world.
Dean was a man in his early 40s who had been through many challenges and hardships in life before he resorted to begging. Before Dean became a beggar, he was a hardworking man who did his best to earn money.
Though he never completed college, Dean took it upon himself to pursue what he was passionate about. He started a business, and in the beginning, it thrived. But years down the line, something terrible happened to his business, and he was forced to shut it down. Since Dean was very passionate about what he did, he tried his best to bring his business back to life. However, when that couldn’t happen, his life took a different direction, and he ended up as a beggar.
Unlike other beggars, who were often grumpy or unfriendly, Dean was different. He was the bright and active one who always smiled and waved at passersby. He always said “thank you” after someone gave him money and never forgot a face. In fact, one of the reasons it seemed like Dean had more people giving him money and food than they gave other beggars was because each time Dean saw someone who had helped him in the past—whether a neighborhood resident or a passerby—he would thank them again for their help. He always showed gratitude to his helpers and never felt or acted entitled to what he received.
Besides being known for his appreciation, Dean was also recognized as the beggar who always had dogs around him—stray dogs, to be precise. And it all started with one dog. There was a particular dog that always hung around Dean, and sometimes people in the neighborhood or passersby would see him holding the dog in a blanket like a child while he begged for money. Initially, people assumed the dog must have been his companion from his earlier years, loyally following him. But that wasn’t true—Dean had never known the dog until he started begging on the street.
On the first day Dean began begging, he was having lunch when he spotted a stray dog sniffing around for food. Out of compassion for the hungry animal, Dean tried to share his food with the dog without scaring it away. At first, the dog, whom Dean later named Scott, was unsure if he could trust Dean. But after days of being fed by Dean, Scott learned to trust him, and they became friends. From the day their friendship began, Scott visited Dean every day, and Dean didn’t just share his food with Scott; he showered him with love and played with him regularly. Often, people would see Dean cuddling Scott in a blanket like a baby, which helped the neighborhood recognize him.
Months after Dean and Scott became friends, Dean realized he could still be useful even as a beggar. Though he couldn’t help others financially, he believed he could help animals in need. Within a few months of begging on that street, he noticed at least one new stray dog every week searching for food. So, he decided to start caring for them.
He would share his little food with the dogs, and if he didn’t have any food, he would buy some from the money he earned from begging. At first, aside from Scott, Dean cared for three other stray dogs, and he loved all of them equally. He didn’t treat any dog differently or give one more food because of its size; he loved them all the same.
The dogs loved Dean in return. Sometimes they would sit or sleep beside him during the day while he begged. After taking care of four dogs, Dean thought he would stop because of financial constraints, but his compassion for other stray dogs didn’t let him. So, he continued to care for more. In less than a year of living on that street, Dean had more than 15 dogs under his care. Each day, some or all of them would visit him, sometimes flocking around him, wagging their tails for his attention.
Apart from wanting to help the stray dogs, Dean enjoyed their companionship and never felt alone. Even though he had to give them smaller portions so the food would go around, he was glad he could give them something to look forward to. He promised himself he would always care for them and never abandon them.
Dean innocently played with and fed the stray dogs every time they visited, unaware that people began to notice the number of stray dogs around him each day. One day, while Dean was feeding and playing with the dogs, a woman in her late 20s approached him. When Dean saw her, he believed she was going to give him some money, but she was actually there to ask him questions. She was one of the many who had noticed his relationship with the dogs and wanted to know why so many visited him every day.
Surprised by the woman’s question, Dean told her about his past, his love for animals, and his desire to make a difference despite being a homeless beggar.
Shocked by his story, the woman asked if she could share it on social media. Coincidentally, she was a social media influencer, and when Dean agreed, she shared his story. Days after, Dean’s story went viral, touching people’s hearts worldwide.
Regarding Dean’s past, he had always been passionate about animals since childhood. Before he became a beggar, he had owned an animal shelter. In the beginning, the shelter thrived, but when government funding stopped and donations weren’t enough, he was forced to close it down.
Although some animals found new homes, limited space forced him to put some down. Dean felt everything was his fault and that he had failed the helpless animals who looked up to him as a father. This guilt led him into severe depression and alcoholism, eventually resulting in him living on the street.
When people saw how Dean’s situation didn’t stop him from caring for the animals he loved, they sent financial donations to help him get off the street. The support from strangers was so overwhelming that Dean couldn’t believe it was happening. Thankfully, with the help of the right people and the financial support he received from so many strangers, Dean got off the street, restarted his life, and continued doing what he loved most—helping animals in need.
Today, Dean continues to help as many animals as possible. He feeds stray dogs daily and takes in as many as he can. His entire house, garden, and even his car are filled with dogs in need. It’s inspiring how Dean didn’t let homelessness or financial struggles take away his deep love for animals. Most people in his situation would have focused solely on themselves, but Dean didn’t let his environment, lack of money, or limited food stop him from caring for animals in need. This story shows that life’s challenges can’t destroy our passion or change who we are inside unless we allow it.
