Sweet shelter dog has watched people pass him by for 700 days as if he doesn’t exist
Thaddeus is an adoptable four-year-old male American Pit Bull Terrier, and the longest resident at the Austin Animal Center in Austin, Texas. Thaddeus’ residency at the Austin Animal Center began more than 700 days ago, and he has been in the shelter almost permanently ever since.
Recently, Thaddeus caught his first break. A foster volunteered to take Thaddeus in and give him some much-needed TLC. Unfortunately, foster homes can’t always be permanent, and Thaddeus’ time at his foster home ran out. Now, Thaddeus has returned to the shelter, and there’s not exactly a waitlist of eager fosters or adopters waiting to bring him home.
After nearly two years of living in the shelter, Thaddeus needs a hero to step up and give him a loving home. Like many Pitbulls, Thaddeus has been overlooked, and adopters visiting Austin Animal Center simply stroll by his kennel.
We know the right person for Thaddeus is out there. He’s a gorgeous blue Pitbull—a very desirable color—and a super-sweet social butterfly! All that is standing in Thaddeus’ way to a forever home is biased breed stereotypes, and we happen to know the truth about Pit Bulls.
@goodboygonehome Thaddeus was in shelter for over 700 days before finding a foster. Now his time in foster is up and he’s headed back to the shelter. He is @Austin Animal Center longest stay dog. Can anyone in the Texas area help?? He is availble for foster or adoption and can potentially live with dogs and cats. Austin, TX #thaddeus #thad #longstay #pitbullsoftiktok #pitbulllove #austin #texas #help #shelter #shelterdog #sad #sweet #333rule #dogsoftiktok #dogsoftiktokviral #austinanimalcenter #austinanimalshelter #helpme ♬ take a moment to breathe. – normal the kid
Meet Thaddeus: Handsome Blue Pit Bull Available for Adoption!
Thaddeus is four years old and has spent nearly half his life in the shelter system through no fault of his own. Thaddeus has all the right stuff to be the perfect pet for someone—he’s house-trained, crate-trained, and loves people. He is super eager to please and has learned several tricks and commands, and even how to do puzzles!
Thaddeus has a great blend of chill and playful vibes and enjoys playing with toys and going on adventures as much as he likes to nap. Staff at Austin Animal Center think he would be a great dog for someone who works from home since he’s happy to settle in for a long day of being lazy.
If you feel like going on an outdoor adventure, 57-pound Thaddeus has plenty of strength, stamina, and agility to keep up. He would even be a great running buddy for someone who likes to stay active.
Thaddeus also has a sensitive side. He gives everyone who visits the shelter big puppy dog eyes, just hoping someone will give him a chance. The stress of being surrounded by barking dogs 24/7 has gotten to this sweet boy a little, and he prefers to be the only dog in the home. Once he warms up and gets comfortable, Thaddeus is affectionate, silly, and outgoing—now he just needs a family that appreciates him.
If you want to adopt Thaddeus, fill out an adoption application or visit him at Austin Animal Center in Austin, Texas.
Why Pit Bulls Become Long-Term Shelter Residents
Pit Bull-type dogs are the most commonly abandoned, surrendered, and abused dog breeds. Sadly, Pit Bulls are also often over-bred, with backyard breeders and puppy mills contributing significantly to the overabundance of stray and adoptable Pit Bulls.
Once Pit Bulls enter the shelter system, they are less likely to be adopted than other breeds. Part of the issue is breed bias—people have been fed lies and anti-Pit Bull propaganda for decades, and are wary of owning one of these dogs. Of course, the stereotype of the dangerous, unpredictable Pit Bull is false, and anyone who owns a Pittie will tell you they are sweet as pie.
With so many Pit Bulls available for adoption and relatively low demand for the breed, individual dogs can easily be overlooked in a crowd of dozens of other Pitties. By choosing to adopt Pit Bulls, having them spayed and neutered, and not supporting backyard breeders or puppy mills, we can help address this problem and help dogs like Thadeus shorten their stays at shelters.
