I have said this a million times, and I will say it again: animals aren’t just pets.
Since they spend so much time with us, they start to see us as their best friends and family. Even if you’re only gone for an hour, you can tell how much your furry friend has missed you when you come back home.
They start jumping around, giving you tons of hugs and kisses. Now, imagine how hard it can get for them when their family decides that they no longer want them in their life.
A Heartbreaking Story
A determined dog rescuer named Makaira Lebo witnessed one of the most heartbreaking moments that can happen to a pup.
While working with the homeless population, Lebo came across a pup who she decided to bring to the local shelter. While at a parking lot, she noticed an owner with her pup who wasn’t doing too great.
The pup, named Millie, was shaking and trying to hide behind her owner as she started to sense that something was wrong.
Lebo later found out that Millie was actually being surrendered to the shelter at that exact moment, making her feel super anxious. Filming the whole situation and posting it to her TikTok, Libo tried to raise awareness of what was happening.
“This is what your dog looks like when you take it to the shelter because you failed your dog. Scared, shaking, confused and worried. Not a clue of what they did wrong,” read the overlay text of the video.
It was later reported that Millie was surrendered because she wasn’t really getting along with the boyfriend of her previous owner. As the owner chose her boyfriend over the pup, Millie was trying to figure out what had she done so wrong.
Unfortunately, Millie isn’t the only pup who has such a fate.
“This is happening daily, everywhere. While I was there, a senior dog with bad hips was being rolled in on a cart because the owner couldn’t afford surgery,” Lebo stated.
But, luck turned on this sweet pup who, after the video went viral, received many adoption applications and was adopted within the first 48 hours of being surrendered.
Adding to the conversation, the Tacoma Humane Society emphasized that sometimes, life isn’t really rainbows and butterflies.
“We understand it’s difficult to see a pet in distress. After watching this video, we hope people focus not on shaming the owner…Instead, we hope community members recognize the vital role the shelter plays as a resource during their greatest times of need,” they stated.
Final Word
Even though every single person inside a shelter does everything they can to make the animals happy and healthy, things just aren’t that simple.
The shelter is a very loud place, making it quite uncomfortable for some furry friends, especially the ones that have just arrived.
Without having the proper space to relax and decompress, such animals can develop some behavioral issues that can make it harder for them to find a forever home.
Therefore, we hoomans need to make sure to adopt or foster as many as possible, putting them in the right environment and allowing them to prosper and thrive. After all, that’s what they deserve.