A shelter dog, who has known little else but sacrifice and suffering in their life to date, is struggling to find a forever home.
When Willow the dog was first found abandoned out in the cold, there was only one thought on her mind: her puppies.
“Willow came to us after being found tied up, with her three puppies by her side,” Jackie Gonzalez, a volunteer at the Valley Animal Center in Fresno, California, told Newsweek. “Since then, she’s raised her little ones and is now waiting for her own happy ending.”
Eager to drum up interest in this often-forgotten pup, Gonzalez posted a video appealing for help in rehousing Willow.
Gonzalez posted footage of a forlorn-looking Willow, staring off into the distance from within the confines of her kennel to her TikTok @jjack.iie an onscreen caption explains the shelter has received “no interest” in anyone adopting her.
The continued lack of interest in Willow is a source of some frustration to Gonzalez. Having interacted with Willow on a one-on-one basis, she’s seen everything she had to offer as a pet.
“Willow is a loving girl who enjoys long walks and snuggling up with her favorite people,” Gonzalez said. “Sadly, she’s often overlooked because she isn’t dog-friendly and still needs more positive exposure around other dogs.”
The video has provided Willow with some much-needed exposure. Writing in the comments section, one viewer said: “She has the name of my souldog who passed away. Someone please save her.”
Another wrote: “Poor baby. Praying for your forever home!” with a third adding: “I hate to see this.”
Unfortunately, this kind of scenario isn’t all that unusual. The sad reality is that adult dogs like Willow often struggle to get adopted compared to puppies.
In 2015, the website Priceonomics conducted a study exploring the most commonly adopted types of dogs and most popular age groups.
The research, which was based on adoption data from the website Petfinder, revealed that while 95 percent of puppies listed on the site ended up in new homes, that proportion dropped to 75.5 percent among adult dogs.
Willow’s struggles with other dogs appear to have played a part. Sadly, that’s an issue likely caused by the difficult start to life she has endured.
Whatever the case, the experience of doing months without garnering much in the way of adoption interest is having a negative effect. Willow is struggling. That’s clear in the video. But things could get even worse.
“The longer she waits, the more the stress of kennel life weighs on her,” Gonzalez said. “We’re starting to see her spark fade, and she deserves so much more than that.”
Just having one person take a chance on her could be enough to change everything. A 2018 study in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science found just 15 minutes of one-on-one petting was enough to boost the wellbeing of a shelter dog.
Willow just needs someone to take a chance on her. Gonzalez said: “Willow would thrive in an active, pet-free home where she can finally feel safe, loved, and free to be herself.”
Anyone who feels like they may have what it takes to change Willow’s life, is encouraged to contact the Valley Animal Center in Fresno, California.
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