Meet Pilgrim. He's a very smart, happy, loving dog. He's so smart that he actually rescued himself!

On Thanksgiving Day 2011, Pilgrim saw some nice people trying to catch a stray dog. He was a stray, too, and didn't want to spend one more scary minute alone on the streets, looking for someone to help him. He saw his opportunity to get rescued, so he jumped into their car.

Since he was an unexpected rescue, Paws for Life had to put him up in a boarding kennel, which is where he is now, hoping like crazy that someone will offer to foster or adopt him.

It was a good thing that PFL let Pilgrim rescue himself that day in November, because he tested positive for heartworm. He was a sick boy, but his rescuers fixed him up, and now he's healthy and heartworm-negative. He also received his vaccinations and got neutered, so he's ready for his forever home.

Pilgrim loves to play and loves toys! He's usually happy just to play with his toys by himself, as long as a person is petting him or even is just in the room with him. He loves people and companionship. He has a lot of stuffed animals and his very own bed (he likes soft, cushy things).

Pilgrim also likes to take walks, and he has had some training. He understands stay, sit and no, and most of the time he obeys, but sometimes he gets so excited that he forgets his manners and pulls at his leash or even tries to escape from his kennel suite.

He's a very good boy who tries very hard to please the nice people taking care of him. He's always sad when he makes a mistake, so obedience classes would help him learn to behave better and improve his self esteem.

Pilgrim's rescuers think he's about two years old, and he's a big boy. He weighs 80 pounds and is pretty strong, so a home without small children would be best for him. He also needs to be in a home in which he is the only pet (no other dogs or cats). He's been told that he's very handsome and can look quite dignified, but he'll let you be the judge of that.

You just have to give Pilgrim a chance! He's a great best friend and he can't wait to meet his forever family or person. Pilgrim's adoption fee is $75. If you are interested in fostering or adopting Pilgrim, you can fill out an application online.