The number of dogs abandoned or given up to shelters in the U.S. is increasing every year. Some dogs get adopted sooner than others. They patiently wait and hope that somebody would pick them out of the crowd and take them home.
It breaks my heart to think of the older dogs who often get overlooked for adoption, and they’re not even given a chance.
Because of their age, they spend the rest of their life inside a kennel, deprived of the joy of having a loving family and a home.
Our next story is about Sophie, the shelter sweetheart who never stopped hoping she’d get out of the kennel. She’s a gray American Staffordshire mix who came to the Seminole County Animal Services in Sanford, Florida, in April 2022.
A Volunteers’ Favorite
From her very first day, Sophie stole the hearts of all the volunteers and became their favorite.
She loved playing with her ball in the small shelter yard, and enjoyed walks with the volunteers. Her striking soulful eyes made all of them fall in love with her, and they were convinced that she would soon get adopted. Days went by, and yet nobody came for her.
Every time somebody would pass by her cage, she would immediately stop whatever she was doing and approach the kennel bars, pressing her nose against them and trying to catch somebody’s eye.
From her cage, she watched other dogs walk out with their new moms and dads, and she was ignored every single time. Still, she didn’t let that discourage her from trying to attract visitors’ attention time after time.
It has been almost a year since she came to the shelter, and the shelter volunteers were well aware that Sophie got overlooked for adoption because of her age. Being 7 years old, she was considered to be a less desirable dog.
They wanted everybody to know how eager Sophie was to find a family, so they set up a camera inside her kennel to record a time-lapse video in order to show her unwavering hope of finding a family.
The poignant video went viral and Sophie was all over the news. People were deeply moved by her relentless efforts to catch people’s attention.
“It kind of gave the point of view of the dog. You got to see what she sees every day. People coming and going, walking by her cage… sometimes not even stopping to say hi,” Bree Burkett, the Seminole County Adoption Coordinator, said.
The Life-Changing Moment
Within 24 hours of releasing the video, her future dad, Tony, came to the shelter. This was the first time that someone actually came to see only her. After seeing Sophie on social media, he rushed to meet her. The moment he saw her loving and soulful eyes, he fell in love with her and took her home.
Sophie’s previous owner claimed she didn’t get along with other dogs, but Tony stayed firm in his decision to adopt Sophie, although he already had two dogs at home. The wait was finally over, and she started a new life with her family.
The shelter staff visited her in her new home, and they rejoiced at seeing her so happy. Her family is amazing and they love Sophie very much. Although she has spent a year in the cage, Sophie is still a gentle and sweet dog. She also has two doggo sisters and gets along well with them.
All those people who visited Seminole County Animal Services and overlooked Sophie missed out on adopting a real sweetheart.
Around 3.2 million dogs enter U.S. shelters every year. (1) One of the most common reasons why dog owners leave dogs at shelters is because they can no longer afford to tend to their dogs’ needs.
Before getting a pet, pet owners should make sure they have the necessary resources to take care of them in the long-term.
Dear pet friends, if you’re unable to adopt a dog or be a foster parent, you can still help our furry friends either by donating money to your local animal shelter or by sharing a call for adoption on social media. In Sophie’s case, it made all the difference.
Check out the widely shared video of hopeful Sophie that melted the hearts of millions!
References:
- American Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals, Pet Statistics, accessed 6 July 2023, https://www.aspca.org/
