Hearts have been melted by a rescue dog who was returned to the shelter twice for being “too playful,” but all he wanted to do was make new friends.
DJ, who is thought to be around a year old, was in a high-intake shelter in North Carolina earlier this year, before being transferred to the SPCA of Wake County on June 5. While it’s unclear what happened in the past, it’s clear that DJ has plenty of love to give.
Indeed, Samantha Ranlet, communications manager at the SPCA of Wake County, told Newsweek that DJ is an adorable goofball who has “never had a negative thought about anybody.”
“DJ lives in a world full of rainbows and sunshine,” Ranlet said. “Our staff spends a lot of enrichment time with him outside in the kiddie pool or playing with the hose—not only to keep him cool in the heat, but because he lights up when he gets to play in water.”
Finding him a home didn’t seem too difficult because DJ was adopted and thought he’d left the shelter for good. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be, and he was returned to the shelter because his owners couldn’t manage his energy and friendliness.
It wasn’t long before DJ was chosen by another adopter and thought he’d found his second chance. But in just two days, they also decided he was too playful, and DJ was returned again.
“He’d been in that home for two days during a trial adoption period which gives families a chance to see how the pet fits into their home before finalizing anything. He was returned because he was trying to befriend their cats, and the cats didn’t appreciate his offers of friendship,” Ranlet continued.
It was heartbreaking for everyone at the shelter to see DJ back again. As much as they loved his company, he deserved a loving home.
But he didn’t dwell on the past and Ranlet said he took it in his stride. Indeed, on the same day he was taken back, he was already outside playing in the pool again.
DJ is taking Trazodone, an antidepressant medicine that is often prescribed to people for anxiety and insomnia. This has been a great help for the rescue pup, who has struggled with the uncertainty of shelter life.
The shelter shared a post on Facebook explaining that DJ had been returned twice “for being too playful with other animals.” Needless to say, the post broke plenty of hearts and generated over 2,600 reactions and more than 230 comments in a matter of days.
But all was not lost, because on June 19, DJ was adopted once again.
The shelter hopes it will be a case of third time’s a charm.
His new owners renamed him Nova, and with three other dogs in their home already, he’ll have plenty of friends to play with. Ranlet told Newsweek it’s “perfect for him,” and he’s finally got everything he wanted.
“We explained to his new family the reasons he’d been returned before, so they knew they were signing up for a playful, energetic dog, and that was just what they were looking for,” she continued.
DJ (or Nova) has hopefully seen the last of the shelter now, but there are many more pups who are still waiting. To help those in need, the SPCA of Wake County has teamed up with Care First Animal Hospital to match all donations dollar for dollar.
The Facebook post about DJ’s return devastated many internet users, and hundreds of people took to the comments section to share their thoughts.
One comment reads: “He does life with enthusiasm! Such a cutie pie! I hope your loving forever family finds you soon.”
Another Facebook user wrote: “He isn’t too playful, the people were too boring.”
While another person added: “Stimulus seeking dogs can really wear you out, but training, patience and attention will help any dog be a lovely pet. Animals aren’t robots and people need to be more understanding and patient.”
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