He ’s a dependable son who loves his KONG , but alas he and many other bounder are so stressed by the shelter surroundings that they have a hard time get together multitude .
Main Line Animal Rescuein Pennsylvania immortalise a not - so - happy anniversary earlier this workweek . One of its residents , a frank named Coco , set his 1,000th solar day in the shelter .
It stinks so much because he ’s a great frump . The 5 - class - old is a silly boy who likes paddling in the stream near the protection and take on with hisKONG toy . When he ’s not playing , he ’s plenty affectionate and like to loaf of bread around , Nichola Redmond , site director for Main Line , tells Daily Paws .
Photo: Courtesy of Main Line Animal Rescue (MLAR)
Coco , however , has detain at Main Line for near three year because the shelter environment do him anxious . The anxiety manifest when he forgather possible adopters . He ’ll bark loudly and lunge at them , Redmond says . The people are unfamiliar , which worries him .
" He ’s uncertain , " Redmond says . " He ’s not a very confident firedog . It postulate forbearance and perseverance . "
alas , Coco is scarcely alone . Shelters — even great ones like Main Line — are often loud , hectic environments that stress some wiener out , especially if they ’re used to living in a dwelling house . The stress might make them depressed or reactive in the shelter . From there , it takes the right adopter , a " unicorn , " to institutionalise to getting to do it the dog-iron and eventually take them home .
" There ’s [ a dog like Coco ] in every community without a dubiety , " Temma Martin , public relations coach atBest Friends Animal Society , state Daily Paws .
Coco’s Stay
Coco , a assorted stock belike with somepit bullandAmerican Staffordshire terrierDNA , get in at Main Line when his owner surrendered him , ineffectual to wish for him any longer . They assure the stave that he ’d had some behavioral issues before , but hisneuteringseemed to help , Redmond tell .
But the tax shelter is an unknown environment that distresses him , so he barks and lunges when he fulfil masses he ’s unfamiliar with . That understandably makes it hard for potential adopters to get to know him .
In fact , Redmond say people first coming to see Coco will enter a room with him and be instructed to basically ignore him . Instead of attend at him , they ’re told to focus on something else in the elbow room . That means , he can get used to the someone without as much focus .
" It ’s clumsy at undecomposed , " Redmond say .
Whoever adopts Coco — maybe it ’s you!—will have to return for several visit so he gets to know them considerably . His person will have to be committed and patient .
But ! That perseverance will likely pay off . By all accounts , Coco transforms into the ultimate dear male child once he knows someone and leaves the delivery environment . Case and point : The someone who fostered him for two months say Cocowas " very well - behave " and enjoyed slumber in his crateful ( or by his foster dad ) and playing with his toys .
" If they can do well in one home , you know when that right adoptive parent come along , he ’ll do well in that home , " allege Martin , who has most 30 years experience make in shelters and animal welfare .
The rescue ’s longest resident physician also enjoy his sentence outside the rescue , swimming in the flow and restful , showing off his sport side .
" When he ’s well-heeled with people , he ’s super comfortable with them , " Redmond tell . " … When he loves somebody he screw them hard . "
Now , he ’ll probably need to be the only dog in a repose - back home plate that rent him live life at his own stride , but I ’m sure plenty of hoi polloi could provide that environment . After Main Line ’s social media push on Monday , the deliverance had received several applications , but do n’t rent that cease youfrom filling one out .
How to Help
The behavior issues are a major obstruction andiron like Coco have to overcome , but there ’s more than that . They ’re also contend with the other detent at their shelter and how busybodied you are .
Dogs who adjust well to the shelter , look well-chosen and excited to see multitude , probably calculate more appealing to prospective adopters . And if someone is search to adopt a dog quick , they might not be unforced to invest the sentence and multiple visits into catch to have it away a Canis familiaris like Coco .
" It is a common problem , " Redmond says .
In brusque : hound who can only be their true ego outside tax shelter have the hard times for good leave the tax shelter . It ’s a problem forno - kill shelterslike Main Line , but it can be even more grave at overcrowded shelter that might not have the resources to keep caring for dogs who ’ve quell so long .
That ’s why Martin likes foster and foster - to - adoption computer programme that allowstressedordepresseddogs to live on in home , where they ’re suppose to . Those stays — and short plain trips outside shelters — can help the detent loosen and be themselves .
If you are undefendable to adopting a pup like Coco — or the dog himself — be certain to trust the shelter or saving stave where you ’re adopting . They ’re the expert at touch dearie and people , Martin says , and they ’re rooting for the cad to find their new menage .
Hopefully , that ’s how Coco will find his unexampled family .
" We ’re just hoping that Coco ’s going to find the right person for him , " Redmond says . " We know that person or persons are out there , and we are doing our very best to give him all the love and tending he deserves , even if we ’re not his lasting home . We ’re just kind of a fillet full point for him . "
