She Sat In A Crate For 4 Years — Now She Needs Someone Who Understands Anxiety

Cartier was surrendered to a New York City shelter in September 2023 after her family decided they didn’t have time for her anymore. They had kept her in a crate pretty much all the time, which gave poor Cartier a lot of anxiety. She was eventually pulled by Rebound Hounds, and soon found a foster mom who understood her struggles.

Katy Brink, executive editor at The Dodo, and her husband, Collin, empathized strongly with Cardi’s plight. Katy struggles with anxiety herself, and never thought she would be able to find someone who understood until she met Collin. The couple wanted to show Cardi that same empathy.

With two other dogs in the home, Cardi’s foster family isn’t a comfortable long-term fit for the nervous pup. She’s been working hard and making progress to remain calm when she passes dogs on walks, she just doesn’t want to share her home with one. She’s been looking for a home for over a year now — but unfortunately, no one seems to want her.

“Cardi would love a quiet home with someone who wants to share their routines and walks with her and just let her hang out near them,” Katy told The Dodo. “She doesn’t have separation anxiety, but she will really blossom when she’s the only dog in the house and can fully relax and roam free. She’s an easygoing grown-up dog at home, who just likes to chill with her people.”

Cardi isn’t a high-maintenance dog, but she does have some needs that require a little extra planning and thought. She’s been working so hard with the help of her foster parents to overcome her anxiety, though, and she’ll continue to work hard to make her future family so proud.

“Cardi spent her first 4 years in a crate, so everything is new to her and can feel scary,” Katy said. “She isn’t vocal or aggressive around new dogs or people, but she is on high alert and may pull and struggle to focus on taking treats from her person when a trigger is near. She’s working so hard to overcome her anxiety in new situations and is all the more sensitive and special because of it!”

Cardi may have anxiety, but that will never be the most interesting thing about her. She’s smart, funny and weirdly empathetic. She gets kitchen zoomies and likes to play with toys while lying on her back. She’s a Velcro dog and will follow her loved ones everywhere they go. She enjoys walks and hikes just as much as she loves couch cuddles. There’s so much to adore about her — she just needs someone who is willing to give her a chance.

“The dogs who nobody wants are the dogs who create the most joy,” Katy said.

Cardi has been waiting for a family for more than a year now. She would love nothing more than to spend the holidays with someone who loves her unconditionally, like she will love them.