“Somebody Please Adopt Me!” Pleads Patient Pittie After HALF A DECADE In Shelter!
Every shelter dog has a story worth telling, but Little Ritchie’s story is more like a novel. This patient Pittie has been waiting in the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh, New York, for over five long years, and his shelter friends and social media fans agree that it’s time he finds his forever home. He’s only had 3 adoption applications since he arrived at the shelter in August 2018, but this resilient boy has yet to find his perfect match. Still, he’s come a long way from where he was over 2,000 days ago, and he’s going to make the right person one proud dog owner.
Little Ritchie’s Rough Start to Life
While the first two years of this 7-year-old dog’s life remain unclear, shelter staff and volunteers know it wasn’t easy. When he arrived at the shelter, he had severe anxiety, issues with resource guarding, sensitivity to handling, and several wounds on his head. To put it lightly–he wasn’t the nicest guy!
Even so, the folks at the New York shelter didn’t give up on him. They knew he had the potential to become a friendly and confident pup, but they had no idea just what an incredible transformation he would make. Unfortunately, they also didn’t know just how long he would have to wait for someone to give him a chance. Five years is a long time whether you’re a person or a dog, but he spent much of that time addressing behavior concerns and learning how to be a dog again.
A New ‘Leash’ on Life
Even though Little Ritchie just ‘celebrated’ his 2,000th day at the shelter, he has an entirely new outlook on life. In fact, some of his friends at the shelter have never been so impressed by a rescue dog before! There’s one special staff member at the shelter who’s become close to Little Ritchie over the years, and she couldn’t be more proud of the progress he’s made.
“This is a completely different dog from 5 ½ years ago,” she explained. In my 10 years of volunteering at a municipal animal shelter, I have NEVER seen such a transformation in a dog. He has worked hard and proven what an amazing, affectionate, well-mannered dog he can be”
To help others see the progress that this brave pup has made, the shelter re-evaluated his behavior. And he passed with flying colors! While he may be best in a foster, rescue, or forever home with no cats or small children, he would make an energetic and well-behaved playmate for adults–and maybe even another dog of his size. He’s ready to go home!
The Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter requires a meet and greet with the entire family before adopting Little Ritchie, and the New York shelter can be reached at (516) 785-5220 if you think this hard-working guy might be a good fit for your home.
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