A heartbreaking video posted by an animal shelter in Oregon has shared the perspective of a shelter dog day in, day out.
In the TikTok clip, the Humane Society of the Ochocos (HSO) has shed light on the reality of life for dogs in shelters.
Captioned “shelter dogs POV 24/7,” the video provides an emotional glimpse into the daily life of dogs in shelters, with a view through the metal bars and the constant sound of barking dogs all around.
The video, shared by the no-kill shelter based in Prineville, Oregon, has highlighted the confined spaces and solitude that shelter dogs experience.
“Shelter staff and volunteers provide as much love and care to our residents as possible, but at the end of the day, all of them are patiently waiting for a permanent and peaceful place to call home,” a spokesperson for the shelter told Newsweek.
Pictures from the video that shared what a shelter dog sees 24/7.
@hsonokillshelter/TikTok
The shelter said in the caption: “See how long you can last,” asking viewers to try and watch for as long as they can.
The post, which amassed hundreds of views since being shared earlier this month, explains that the dogs typically get outside for only about an hour each day, depending on volunteer availability and weather conditions.
While they ended the caption with the plea: “Help us get some of these dogs into loving homes!!!”
In the first half of 2024, 3.12 million animals entered U.S. shelters, according to Shelter Animals Count, a decrease from the same period in 2023. Despite this, the number of animals in shelters remains high—in the first half of 2024, 322,000 more pets entered shelters than exited them.
Many of the dogs in the shelter’s care are not there due to behavioral issues, but rather due to circumstances beyond their control. “We hope that people understand that shelter dogs are usually here through no fault of their own,” HSO told Newsweek. “Most times, dogs are here because they were abandoned, found as strays, or their owner passed away or became sick or injured.”
Despite this, the dogs are still waiting in kennels, hoping for a second chance at life. Sadly, the longer dogs are in shelters, the worse their chances of a happy ending are.
A 2021 study by researchers in Vienna looked at the outcomes for long-term shelter dogs that had been waiting for a home for more than a year, compared to those who have stayed for 5 months or less.
The long term shelter dogs were more often older, male, large in size and of breeds sometimes considered ‘dangerous.’
Long-term shelter dogs were also more frequently described as having behavioral problems related to aggression and high arousal. These factors make adoption more difficult for these dogs, meaning that those that have been in the shelter for extended periods are more likely to stay for even longer.
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