She Was Withering Away in Her Kennel..Then This Happened
When I first saw Zendaya, she was curled up in the back corner of her kennel, trying her best to disappear. The one-year-old Labrador mix had arrived at the San Jacinto Animal Shelter as a stray weighing just 41 pounds, severely underweight and terrified of the world around her. Shelter staff had spent the last month carefully nursing her back to health, but stress and fear were still taking a heavy toll. What happened next was a reminder that sometimes the first step toward healing isn’t food or medicine. It’s trust.
A Puppy Who Shouldn’t Have Been This Thin
Zendaya is still a baby.
When Alexis told me she was only a year old, it hit me harder than I expected. No dog should ever be emaciated, but there’s something especially heartbreaking about seeing a puppy in that condition. Instead of spending her first year playing, learning, and growing, she had somehow ended up wandering alone without a family, a microchip, or anyone looking for her.
The shelter doesn’t know exactly what happened before she arrived. All they know is that someone found her as a stray and brought her in. When staff weighed her, she was only 41 pounds. For a young Lab mix, that’s alarmingly thin. Even more concerning, she continued losing weight after arriving at the shelter.
The reason wasn’t neglect. It was stress.
Shelter staff explained that Zendaya had originally been housed with other dogs, but they noticed she wasn’t eating enough. Some of the other dogs were stealing food from her, and the stress of the shelter environment was making it even harder for her to maintain weight. To give her the best chance of recovery, they moved her into her own kennel and placed her on a carefully monitored feeding schedule. Every meal was documented, measured, and adjusted to help her gain weight safely.
That’s something many people don’t realize about severely underweight dogs. You can’t simply put a giant bowl of food in front of them and hope for the best. Refeeding has to happen gradually. Too much food too quickly can create serious medical complications. The shelter team knew that, and they were doing everything they could to help her.
The Challenge of a Black Dog in a Shelter
Zendaya faced another challenge beyond her weight.
She’s a black dog.
Animal welfare professionals have long talked about what’s often called “black dog syndrome,” the tendency for black-coated dogs to be overlooked in shelters. Whether it’s because they are harder to photograph, harder to see in kennel environments, or simply don’t stand out the way lighter-colored dogs do, black dogs frequently wait longer for homes.
Zendaya wasn’t helping her odds.
Instead of greeting visitors at the front of her kennel, she hid in the back. Her fear made her almost invisible.
But even in those first few minutes, I could see something else underneath the fear.
Curiosity.
And curiosity can save a dog’s life.
The First Treat
One of the first things I noticed about Zendaya was how hungry she was. Unlike some fearful dogs who shut down completely, her appetite was still strong enough to break through the fear.
I started tossing treats toward her from a distance.
At first she hesitated.
Then she took one.
Then another.
Little by little, the gap between us started shrinking.
People often ask why I spend so much time talking during Sitting With Dogs. The answer is simple. Dogs pay attention to energy. They listen to our tone long before they trust our touch. Sometimes the conversation itself isn’t important. What matters is creating a calm environment where a frightened dog can begin regulating their emotions.
As I talked, Zendaya started relaxing.
The dog who had been hiding in the corner just minutes earlier was now inching closer.
Trust was beginning to take root.
Small Victories Become Big Ones
One thing I always try to remember when working with fearful dogs is that progress rarely arrives all at once.
It’s one treat.
One step.
One decision.
One moment of bravery.
While I sat with Zendaya, she did something that broke my heart in the best possible way. I placed a blanket on the ground and sat beside it. A few minutes later, she climbed onto the blanket herself.
That might sound insignificant, but dogs like Zendaya often don’t know what comfort feels like. They haven’t experienced soft beds, cozy blankets, or people who consistently meet their needs. Watching her settle onto that blanket felt like watching her begin to understand that maybe she was finally safe.
Sometimes healing starts with something as simple as a blanket.
Learning Her Name
The shelter had given her a name after she arrived.
Zendaya.
I’ve always found it fascinating how quickly some shelter dogs learn their names. Think about it. A dog arrives with nothing. No family, no familiar surroundings, and often no history that anyone can piece together. Then shelter staff start calling them by a new name, and somehow they begin associating that name with kindness, food, and care.
When I said “Zendaya,” I noticed her reaction immediately.
She knew it.
She turned toward me.
For a dog who had arrived with nothing, even something as simple as a name represented a connection.
It meant somebody cared enough to see her as an individual.
The Scoop
Eventually, Zendaya got close enough that I decided to try something special.
The Scoop.
For anyone new to Sitting With Dogs, The Scoop is exactly what it sounds like. It’s that moment when a fearful dog finally allows me to pull them gently into my lap.
Not every dog gets there.
Zendaya did.
The moment she settled into my lap, I could feel just how underweight she was. This should have been a much bigger dog. Yet despite everything she’d been through, she leaned into the affection. She accepted belly rubs. She relaxed into the moment.
The dog who had started the day hiding in the back of her kennel was now curled up in my lap.
That’s why I never give up on these dogs.
You never know how much love is hiding underneath the fear.
A Grooming Truck and a Fresh Start
By the end of our visit, there was one more thing I wanted to do for Zendaya.
Give her a spa day.
One of the newest additions to our rescue efforts is a mobile grooming truck designed specifically for shelter dogs. Most shelters don’t have groomers on staff, and many dogs go months without receiving professional grooming. While grooming may seem cosmetic, it can have an enormous impact on a dog’s physical comfort and emotional wellbeing.
Zendaya was one of the first dogs to climb aboard.
Our groomer, Cameron, took everything slowly. Oatmeal shampoo helped soothe her dry skin. Warm water washed away dirt and stress. Every step was done with patience and care.
What amazed me wasn’t the bath itself.
It was how quickly Zendaya realized nobody was trying to hurt her.
The same dog who had been hiding from the world stood calmly while she was bathed, brushed, and pampered. She accepted nail trims. She tolerated the blow dryer. She even wore a happy hoodie to help reduce the noise.
With each step, her confidence grew.
The Dog Beneath the Fear
By the time Zendaya’s grooming session was finished, she looked like a completely different dog.
Not because her coat was cleaner.
Because her posture had changed.
Her eyes looked brighter. Her body looked more relaxed. She stood taller. For the first time all day, I wasn’t seeing a terrified shelter dog.
I was seeing Zendaya.
The real Zendaya.
The playful, loving young Lab mix who had been hiding underneath layers of fear, stress, and uncertainty.
Next Steps
Zendaya is available for adoption through the San Jacinto Animal Shelter in Riverside County. She will likely need a patient family willing to give her time to adjust, continue helping her gain weight, and show her that the world can be a safe place.
But after spending the day with her, I can tell you this much.
The hardest part is already behind her.
She trusted again.
And once a dog takes that first step, amazing things can happen.
