An “invisible” dog who had been ignored for over a year in a California shelter finally found peace after being given a break from her noisy environment.
While animal shelters do everything they can to make pets feel welcome, the change and environment often become stressful for dogs.
An article from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University said that dogs in shelters are overwhelmed by being confined, separated from their families and exposed to more noise. Dogs might start showing signs of stress, which can sometimes affect their physical health. However, a simple break from the environment can cause immediate relief.
Dedicated to giving these animals a breather, shelter caretaker Alex takes dogs out to give them extra attention, love, and a break from excessive barking. One dog she worked with weekly was 3-year-old Midge, who lived at Desert Hot Springs Animal Care and Control in North Palm Springs, California, for over 13 months.
“Alex is the one who took care of her every single week and tried to keep her spirits up as she saw her becoming lonelier and lonelier,” Ella Hovsepian told Newsweek.
In last week’s Instagram video posted to volunteer Hovsepian’s account @pupppstar, Midge sat in Alex’s car after being picked up for a day out of the shelter. She immediately felt at ease. As the car drove off and silence surrounded her, Midge fell asleep.
Screenshots from a March 5 Instagram video of a dog named Midge immediately falling asleep in the car after receiving a break from the loud shelter environment.
@pupppstar/Instagram
Thankfully, Midge will get restful and quiet sleep for the rest of her life. She was adopted earlier this week by an “incredibly loving family.”
However, many other dogs in the shelter are still waiting for forever homes.
Hovsepian and Alex explained that because of the shelter’s location, there is not a lot of foot traffic. These animals do not get excess exposure. That means more time within the kennel confines.
“I’d say 80 percent of the dogs are long-time residents,” Alex said. “We have a couple that have already been there for two years.”
Viewer Reactions
With over 1.2 million views on Instagram, people flooded the comment section with their hopes of a better future for Midge.
“Sweet girl! Hang in there. It sounds like this post has done its magic and I’m hoping you find your good people to love on you soon,” said one viewer.
Another person commented: “Poor thing. The physical and mental stress that these pups endure in a shelter environment is just devastating.”
A third person wrote: “I didn’t know this about dogs get so little sleep in shelters. Makes sense with all the noise and stress but so sad and unhealthy for them.”
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