Jordanese rescue dog finds forever home in RI

Warwick Beacon ·

Hulk, the wheelchair bound dog who hails from the country of Jordan, has been adopted.

His new family is calling him by his original name, Habibi, since he responds to it so well and it also means “my love,” which is fitting.

Habibi’s new mom, Amanda DeStafeno, explained there have been some challenges with six kids, another dog and a cat but she said, “There are a lot of lessons that will be learned for her entire family by adopting Hulk, aka Habibi.”

Caring for a dog with special needs requires lots of love, patience and understanding.

Habibi traveled from Jordan after being rescued by Tiger’s Den Rescue in Cranston as he was in search of a better life. He had been hit by a car and left on the side of the road. Luckily, he was saved by a good Samaritan (Ahmad Baraiseh) who nursed him back to health.

Once it was discovered that Habibi would be unable to walk without wheels, Baraiseh took to social media asking for help. This loving dog deserved more care than he could give and would require long-term medical care, something he could not provide. That social media post reached Rhode Island.

With lots of careful planning and a long trip, Hulk arrived safely to Rhode Island where his search for a new life began. Like many adoptable animals Habibi, was posted to a site called Petfinder, which is actually where his new family first saw him. 

After seeing Hulk on Petfinder for adoption, Amanda explained how the family had a conversation about Hulk and his special needs. Amanda also has a daughter with special needs named Abby, who is in a wheelchair like Habibi. These family discussions led to a meeting with Habibi and a trial period to see how things would work out. Ultimately they decided to adopt him.

Habibi is still adjusting to his new life but overall he is settling in nicely. He has attracted lots of adoring fans along the way. Check out his Facebook page, “Hulk’s Incredible Journey,” where you can continue to follow his story.

Habibi’s days are now being spent with his new family and laying outside on the porch where he loves soaking up the sun. Amanda recently took Habibi and Abby to a waterfall in their neighborhood on Ponagansett Road in Foster, wanting the two of them to share a special moment together. As she tells the story smiling, she explained it was quite a task getting them both there and settled with the two wheelchairs but, once they were there, the view was all worth it.

Dog adoption advocates hope that Habibi’s story will encourage others to adopt special needs animals.

If you’d like to contribute to Habibi’s continuing care, the Tiger’s Den has set up an ongoing fund: www.gofundme.com/hulks-journey.

You can also email AdoptHulk@gmail.com for more information about his needs or to make a donation directly.