No one had entered the Florida home in weeks, but loyal Salvatore was undeterred. Every day the dog sat patiently in a patch of grass outside the door, guarding the foreclosed house and hoping that his family might return.

When local dog rescuer Gloria Cabal noticed Salvatore at his post, she knew she had to help.

Cabal spent over a month trying to coax Salvatore over to her using water, food and treats, but the nervous pup didn’t want to give up his yard.

When a new realtor shooed Salvatore into a park nearby, he finally accepted his family wasn’t coming back. Savaltore approached Cabal and let her take him to the safety of the Everglades Angels Dog Rescue.

“He was very protective of his yard,” Everglades Angels staff member Denise Guevara told The Dodo. “He basically was guarding his property, but not, you know, aggressively or ferociously.”

Safe at the rescue, Salvatore quickly warmed up to the friendly staff. Everglades Angels employees were heartbroken that the dog, who clearly loved people, had been left all alone.

“He is a volunteer favorite,” Guevara said. “From what we were able to gather, he grew up with a family.”

Salvatore, who once refused to approach strangers, became one of the cuddliest members of the shelter community — always begging for pets and jumping up on the couch so that he could cuddle on people’s laps.

“He’s really, really a sweetheart,” Guevara said.

Salvatore is now up for adoption through Everglades Angels, and staff members are sure he will find a home soon.

Thanks to so many caring animal lovers who refused to give up, Salvatore will get a second chance with a family who will never leave him behind.