Nego, a four-legged fuel station employee, has captured the hearts of Brazilians all around the country. Nego was taken in by the proprietors of the gas station when his owners abandoned him due to his senior age, and he has proven to be a huge success with customers.
He was so popular that he made national news! With a huge grin and a wagging tail, Nego greets everyone who enters through the door. He even has his own clothing with a name tag!
Unfortunately, stray dogs are common in Brazil and many other South American nations. Nego would have been just another drop in the ocean if a loving couple hadn’t chosen to adopt him. The proprietors initially noticed him lingering around the building site when the petrol station was being erected. Locals felt sorry for him after learning he wasn’t always a stray, but had been abandoned.
Nego soon had a big smile on his face when they took him home and took him to the vet for all of his immunizations, a warm bath, and a wonderful snug bed to sleep in. It wasn’t long before the proprietors made him an official employee for greeting everyone at the gas station’s door.
Nego became such a fame that people flocked to the station even if they didn’t need gas to watch him! Because he was growing so fat, his owners had to put up a notice requesting people not to bring him goodies! As a result, he can only bring toys from the neighborhood now.
The petrol station is open 24 hours a day, and Nego is usually found there, except for a few hours each day when he likes to go for a walk around town. They call it his ‘break,’ yet he always returns to his professional responsibilities. Everyone recognizes him, and he is treated as if he were a local celebrity wherever he goes.
Nego’s story is far from done. Following his national television appearance, the charity Grupo FERA launched a foundation to encourage businesses to care for stray dogs. After going through so much, Nego’s optimism has spread throughout the country, with many companies signing up.
Dogs, like Nego, have so much love to give; all they need is an opportunity to do it.
