After 410 days of waiting, the shelter films a “nervous” dog that no one wants

A dog who waited patiently at a shelter for more than a year to find its forever home has become a hit on social media as animal lovers do everything they can to adopt it.

Melia, described as a nervous black dog, had spent 413 days at the Hempstead Animal Shelter in New York City as of Tuesday, Oct. 29.

Shelter worker Lou, who has been volunteering in Hempstead for five years, took notice of Melia, saying the organization was the dog’s “only hope.” “She won’t be able to get out without our help,” Lu said.

Lou’s Instagram page regularly features dogs that are difficult to adopt without a lot of pressure, and after Lou helped adopt shelter dog Bullseye, Lou changed his Instagram account name to @adopt_melia_and_friends and now posts daily clips and photos of Melia.

“I show puppies that have a hard time getting a spot or are just invisible and need to be seen,” Lu said. Newsweek.

One post on Melia was seen by thousands of people and received more than 21,000 likes in just two days since it was published on October 27th.

It shows Melia lying in a kennel, looking lonely and looking through the bars, next to the words: “No one chooses a nervous black dog. Now she has been wasting here for 410 days.”

The puppy originally arrived at the shelter in 2022 after being found “hungry and alone in an apartment after her owners left her at home,” Lu said.

Shortly after her hospitalization, she was taken in by a family member, but returned to the shelter a few months later. The foster placement was short-lived “due to an incident at the home,” and the shelter hopes to create a “patient home” for Melia “where she can learn that there are good people who want to do right by her.”

Shelter director Ashley Behrens spoke about this. Newsweek: “Melia is a sweet but nervous dog who was picked up from evictions both times she came. The first time her owner came for her, but the second time she didn’t.

“Because she is a nervous dog, she has a history of biting due to her fear, but given the space she needs to get used to a person, once she feels comfortable with you, she is great!”

Melia is still nervous in the enclosure, but has reached what shelter workers call “mini milestones” and is “hungry to run, play and exercise” when she gets outside.

Lou said Newsweek: “She has a sad story of being abandoned by her family and then moving all over the place and we would like to finally find her forever home. Someone with experience working with nervous dogs will be very helpful in helping her thrive. Home for adults only. Modest dogs – maybe if the meeting goes well.”

Behrens added: “Her ideal home would be quiet, with little traffic and someone who would be patient with her and help her gain confidence. If she has the right owner, Melia will shine.”

Instagram users responded with kind words to Melia’s story, with one commenter writing: “Sweet Melia. “Nervous dogs tend to make the most loving pets if they feel comfortable and safe.”

“Black dogs are amazing,” another agreed, while one optimistic commenter predicted: “I’m telling you, this dog will be someone’s world.”

And as one of them put it: “410 days. It hurts me so much to know that she was there for so long.”

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 6.3 million animals enter shelters each year. About 4.1 million dogs are adopted each year, including 2 million dogs.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or photos of your pet that you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could be featured in our Pet of the Week selection.