Mentee was discovered by the side of a major road in Athens, Greece. He was just sitting there, looking and waiting, as in the video. Nobody knows what they’re waiting for.

He was waiting for her, according to the volunteer who rescued him. Maybe. Nobody knows. Who knows what all those pups are waiting for, abandoned by the thousands on Greek streets every day.

Mentee is not the only one; he is one of many, and despite how depressed he appears, he is actually one of the luckiest individuals in the world. Most pups like him get run over or die of illnesses, malnutrition, or poison. You should realize that not all of them are born on the streets.

In truth, the most of them aren’t. They are born from never spayed or monitored pet dogs who live in a garden and give birth twice a year to unwanted pups that the owner discards, generally by dumping them on the street or placing them in a plastic bag and discarding them in the garbage.

Nobody knows who Mentee’s mother is, where he came from, or how his life has gone so far. He’s gained some weight and begun wagging his tail since his rescue last Saturday, but he still spends much of his time alone, in a corner, as if he doesn’t know how to live.

He is emaciated and most likely has demodectic mange, which affects puppies with weakened immune systems. I saw him yesterday and instantly fell in love with him. He is the saddest and yet sweetest puppy I have ever encountered, and he will not remain miserable forever.

The foster care facility where he is being raised is not perfect, but it is better than the streets, and it is the best we can provide him for now. This is as good as it gets for most Greek rescue organizations since there are so many dogs that there is just no room for them anywhere, forcing rescuers to devise solutions that aren’t perfect but are at least secure. Mentee’s foster parent has 19 other rescue dogs.

He possesses a special loyalty, trust, and unconditional love for humans that goes beyond words. He was my favorite. During those five days, I would glance at him while he slept next to me and remark, “You are lovely.”

Mentee is an excellent mentor. He is a unique dog with a unique soul full of love and understanding. He understands that he was created to be with others, to make them happy and to keep them secure. I’ve been fostering for years and know one thing for certain: dogs like him are extremely unusual.