Dog's Up for Adoption News & Entertainment
Shelter Pleas For Foster For Stressed-Out Cane Corso Dog After Owner Ghosted Her
Gabrielle LaFrank
|
When a sweet, young Cane Corso girl arrived at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter, rescuers had every reason to believe that her owner would come looking for her. 1 ½ year old Poppy had been found as a stray overnight, and she was wearing an old, worn collar. Although slightly underweight, this 94-pound gentle giant seemed strong and healthy, so surely, someone had cared for her.
Sadly, no one ever came to claim her and she’s now been waiting over 90 days. Instead, Poppy was placed on the Long Island shelter’s rescue list, and thanks to the love and kindness of her new friends, she began her brand new ‘leash’ on life. However, the flowery-named pup quickly met a new challenge in the loud and busy shelter environment.
Shelter Stress & Its Health Effects
The staff and volunteers at the Long Island shelter are doing all they can to give Poppy everything she needs to thrive, but the cold, hard truth is that some dogs just don’t succeed in the shelter environment.
“Imagine being in a home, brought to a shelter, put into a kennel in a room with a bunch of other dogs,” explains Hilary Flanagan from the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter. “She was left by the only home she ever knew. It’s understandable that some dogs are not able to handle the shelter environment.”
There are many ways that this stress can manifest, but for Poppy, it’s weight loss. She’s already underweight at 94 pounds, and she already suffers from Irritable Bowel Disease, which can prevent a dog from absorbing nutrients in their food. On top of this, her stressed-out demeanor has caused her to eat less than she should.
However, Poppy’s friends at the shelter are fiercely advocating for her placement in a better environment. They quickly moved her to a quieter corner of the shelter, and are monitoring her more closely, but nothing would be better for her than to leave the shelter altogether. Fortunatley, Hilary and her colleagues are working hard to find a rescue, foster, or home for this sweet Cane Corso.
Picking Poppy’s Perfect Person
There’s no question how much Poppy loves to be around people. She has the sweetest way of greeting her shelter friends: she gets a huge smile on her face and wiggles her butt like crazy! Hilary explains that she loves baby talk and being spoken to in general, and she would love to have a home where she can ask for all the attention she wants.
While she won’t be a good fit for a home with cats or small dogs (only because of her large size), she could be a chill companion for a relaxed, larger dog. In the shelter, she acts more aloof than anything when around other dogs, but she’s shown no signs of aggression or reactivity. The Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter would happily schedule a meet and greet for potential adopters with furry friends of their own.
The great news is that a local Long Island rescue has offered to take her away from the stressful shelter environment, but they would need a committed local foster parent in order to do so. If you’re in the Long Island area and can give this gentle giant a relaxing place to decompress, please email [email protected] or give them a call at (516) 785-5220.
