The experience of being in a chilly, dark environment without the opportunity to sense human touch—let alone an embrace or anything else—is something that only dogs can really comprehend.
That’s how life in a shelter can be, and sometimes it’s worse. Sadly, an increasing number of our animal companions are finding themselves in these situations, and sometimes it seems like there is nothing we can do about it.
This seems to be the case for one puppy who had already been returned by an adopter after bouncing between two shelters at the beginning of his life.
However, good people made every effort to demonstrate that even in the longest and darkest of circumstances, there is always light at the end.
Heartbreaking Fate
When Miley, a puppy, came at the Humane Society of Broward County, an animal shelter in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, she was just seven months old.
She had previously been in a shelter, so that wasn’t her first experience. The terrible conditions of the shelter there nearly shut her down, as seen by her actions.
It’s not out of the ordinary, though, as a number of studies have demonstrated the detrimental effects of a shelter environment on dogs. Even a single day at a shelter raises a dog’s cortisol levels, according to ScienceDirect.
It was therefore understandable why Miley was so frightened and fled to the corner of her kennel whenever someone walked by.
Her suspicion and terror were exacerbated when one adoptive sent her back to the shelter after she chewed on his spectacles, as all untrained puppies do.
Miley’s future was uncertain and the situation was extremely challenging. Nevertheless, the kind workers at the shelter were committed to making this puppy happy again.
One Video Changed Everything
Volunteers and staff at the shelter made every effort to show Miley as much love and care as they could.
She found their PAL program—which stands for Petting, Attention, and Love—particularly enjoyable, since it allows volunteers to spend valuable time with the dogs residing in this Fort Lauderdale, Florida shelter.
Miley also liked to play or take walks outside in the yard, which is how she gradually began to come out of her shell and regain people’s confidence. At that point, the shelter personnel recognized that she was completely prepared for a fresh start.
The team decided to film a video about her and share it on social media to increase her visibility to possible adopters. One of the videos that was uploaded to TikTok received a lot of attention, and the video was a success.
Miley is an extremely kind and submissive girl. She will require a lot of chew toys and healthful activities at home because she is inquisitive and lively. In the video’s caption, shelter personnel stated that Miley would be a wonderful addition to a patient and loving home because she enjoys kids and other dogs.
Shortly after, the sweetest news arrived: Miley’s family fell in love with her and made the decision to adopt her right away. Everyone at the shelter had been hoping for this happy ending for a while.
Miley transformed from the most terrified puppy in the shelter into a lovely flower that represents hope even in the most dire circumstances.
