Abused in her previous home, a dog still gets nervous leaving the house even three years after being rescued. However, one of her present owners has a message to those who abused her: “You did not break her.”
Stella had been abused, starved and dumped by her previous owners in a Southern California desert before she was finally rescued. Although she’s been in a loving home for the past three years, the German shepherd still holds on to the trauma she endured.
Dogs and cats can develop fear, anxiety disorders and behavioral changes or problems following traumatic events. An article in PetMD says that treatment for these conditions typically focuses on desensitization and counterconditioning. In some instances, veterinarians might prescribe medicines to help. While all these approaches can help, time and patience will be crucial.
In the September 22 TikTok video posted to the account @stella_bella_dog, Stella refused to walk out the door without her harness. She froze at the entryway, whimpering and crying as her fears rose up. She was too scared to go outside, even though her owner stood outside patiently.
A TikTok video shows a rescue dog afraid of walking out the front door without a harness or leash. The dog’s previous owners had abused him and dumped him in a Southern California desert.
@stella_bella_dog/TikTok
It’s not just going outside without a harness and leash that brings up her old fears. Stella also gets scared of baths. The owner said in a separate video that Stella won’t stop shaking and crying. Sometimes she’ll cry while looking outside a window, and the owners will then try to reassure and distract her.
She’s been a work in progress, but the owners don’t mind. They’ve been helping her adjust, and they loved watching her come out of her shell slowly but surely after three years.
A clip posted Tuesday showed Stella facing her fear of the door and stepping outside. Although still shaking, she managed to go outside without a harness or leash. This showed her owners that the work they’ve put in is finally paying off.
The text on the video reads: “To her abusers: you lose, you did NOT break her!”
Newsweek reached out to @stella_bella_dog via TikTok for additional comment.
The clip has over 332,000 views on TikTok, and people’s hearts are breaking over the trauma this dog still carries, despite being with her forever family for over three years.
“I don’t blame her. Poor traumatized baby,” said one viewer, while someone else wrote: “The whimpering…poor baby.”
Another person commented: “Thank you for rescuing her and being so patient with her!”
Hopeful, another user, said: “So sad for her, she’ll make it one day!”
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