There are many reasons why pet owners dump their animals at shelters but what seems to be a common theme is their life changes and they can’t accommodate a pet.
While it’s a wonderful thing to open your home to a dog, it’s a big responsibility and it’s not a decision that should be taken lightly.
Rocco was just 3 years old when he was dumped at an animal shelter in Texas, and the reason – his owners were expecting a baby.
The confused and sad German shepherd dog became very depressed and withdrew to the corner of his kennel hunched over and unresponsive.
The confused and sad German shepherd dog became very depressed and withdrew to the corner of his kennel hunched over and unresponsive.
For the staff at the shelter it was distressing for them to see a dog so depressed at losing his family but it certainly wasn’t the first time they had seen such behavior.
When dogs are depressed, they often appear sad, lethargic, and withdrawn. They may drink and eat less and lose interest in play, according to Spruce Pets.
A visitor to the shelter spotted the down dog and recorded him, posting it on social media in the hope a rescue center could take him in and find him a forever home.
Preethi Pillaipakkam, a foster mom for DFW German Shepherd Rescue, saw the footage and immediately agreed to take the desperate hound in.
“At first I was surprised,” she said after she learned why Rocco was dumped, according to The Dodo. “But once I saw how underfed he was, it did not surprise me.”
Rocco was around 25 pounds underweight and was very stressed by another change in his situation.
“He was very timid and scared to get into the car,” she said. “He even hid beneath the seat in the car. He was pacing a bit and seemed very stressed.”
He remained this way for a couple of days until Preethi’s other German shepherd dog came to the rescue. Her older and calmer dog was able to offer some reassurance to the uncertain and stressed Rocco.
“He was a bit aloof in the beginning,” Preethi said, “[but] he slowly started exploring the house. He loves the couches and his doggy beds,” she continued, “and he really likes squeaky toys and tennis balls. He is a really good fetcher.”
Harder to find places to live
Preethi set up an Instagram account to post pictures of this sweet dog’s journey and in the hope of finding him a forever home. She admitted it wasn’t easy to find a home for these large-breed dogs as people often think they’re not compatible with children and other animals. This isn’t the case.
“It is getting harder and harder to find places to live with these breeds,” she told The Dodo. “We hope to bring awareness to this.”
Thankfully her posts were seen by a loving family who already had a large-breed dog and they adopted Rocco. They even welcomed a new baby and the two gentle hounds were put on babysitting duties.
“Rocco and Katja were on strict babysitting duties today! They gave lots of kisses and there were lots of giggles. I love how gentle they are around babies! 🥰🥰” An Instagram post of the adorable trio read.