This Shelter Dog’s Tail Never Stopped Wagging —Until She Finally Lost Hope. But Then A Miracle Happened
When Bellarina — an American Staffordshire Terrier mix — arrived at the Humane Society of Broward County months ago, it didn’t take long before staff members realized that she was simply pure happiness wrapped in fur. You see, Ballerina looked like the kind of dog who had never known sadness. She was ever bubbly, even earning the title of one of the happiest dogs at the shelter.
Before coming to the shelter, Ballerina had a home. She knew what it felt like to have a cozy bed, receive spontaneous belly rubs, and hear her humans call out her name in soft voices. Unfortunately, her owner couldn’t care for her anymore and she ended up at the shelter.
Despite this misfortune, Bellarina didn’t fail to spread joy to everyone around her from the moment she arrived at the shelter. But as they say, everyone has their breaking point. As weeks turned into months without anyone offering Bellarina a forever home, the sunshine inside her began to flicker, and she went from being one of the happiest souls to the saddest.
@humanebroward Bellarina is starting to shutdown 💔 Sweet 1-year-old Bellarina is usually one of our happiest dogs, but the stress of the shelter is starting to get to her 🙏 Now, she is doing everything she can to hide her head and shut out the noise 😔 Bellarina’s previous family had her for her whole life, but sadly her owner could no longer care for her, so they brought her here 💔 She’s been waiting for a new family for months and even celebrated her first birthday here in the shelter 🥺 Bellarina is a very active girl when she’s out of her kennel and loves her toys! She likes the dog park and gets along with other dogs, and even loves cats! Bellarina has a great energy, is joyful and warm ❤️ Please don’t let her spend another night wondering why she’s here 🙏 If you cannot adopt, please share Bellarina’s post 🙏 And please consider becoming a foster. Fostering saves lives! Details on our fostering program is in the link in our bio ❤️ To adopt Bellarina, please fill out a pre-adoption application at www.humanebroward.com (link in bio) and come to the shelter to meet her. The shelter is located at 2070 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL and opens daily at 11 a.m. If you have any questions, please call 954-989-3977 ext. 6. #rescuedog #shelterdog #adoptme #adoptdontshop #doglover #fortlauderdale #florida #dogvideos #video #bulldogs #doglife #staffy #dogs #dogoftheday #dogsoftiktok #dogshelter #animalshelter #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #staffylove #dog #bulldog #bullybreed #bullylove #pittiesoftiktok #pitbull #pittie #dogtok #bulldogsoftiktok ♬ original sound – Humane Society Broward County
Lonely & Unchosen
Initially, Bellarina’s tail would wag enthusiastically at the sounds of footsteps approaching her kennel. She’d excitedly stick out her paws between the metal bars, ready to greet every passing visitor like they were a long-lost friend. Bellarina had an unshakable hope that her forever love was just around the corner. Sadly, she remained unchosen for months, even celebrating her first birthday at the shelter.
The kennel stress and endless waiting started to wear her down, and Bellarina was no longer the vibrant dog that staff members knew. She stopped rushing to the front of her kennel when potential adopters passed by, and would instead, either hide at the back or bury her sweet face in her blanket. Bellarina couldn’t understand why her life had been reduced to lonely days and nights on the cold concrete floors yet all she wanted was simple: to be someone’s cherished pet.
Seeing Bellarina shutting down broke the hearts of staff at the shelter, prompting them to share a TikTok video — just a few days before Valentine’s — of this adorable pup in her defeated state.
“Please don’t let her spend another night wondering why she’s here,” part of the video’s heartbreaking caption reads.
Unknown to them, this video would change everything.
Bellarina’s Happy Ending
After months of waiting, one-year-old Bellarina finally got the greatest gift of all for Valentine’s — a home to call her own, all thanks to the video posted by the shelter!
As she trotted out of the shelter doors in pure joy, flashing the world’s biggest grin and wagging her tail so furiously that it was a blur, Ballerina knew she wasn’t just stepping out of the shelter briefly; she was going away for good to the home of her dreams.
Watch the video below:
@humanebroward Bellarina got her Valentine’s wish!! 💘💞 Our sweetest girl Bellarina, who was starting to shut-down in her kennel, has been adopted! ❤️ Thanks to your shares, Bellarina’s video was seen by her new forever family, who drove Bellarina all the way up in North Carolina to start her new life! 😃 Bellarina couldn’t wait to get out the door and head to her new home!! We’re so happy for them all ❤️ We still have many wonderful pets looking for forever homes 🥺 Please check our website to see who is still available. If you can’t adopt, please share our posts and consider donating to our shelter through the link in our bio 🙏 Your generous donations allow us to take in homeless pets like Bellarina and keep them safe until they find their forever homes ❤️ If you would like to offer one of our pets a home, please fill out a pre-adoption application at www.humanebroward.com (link in bio) and come on in today. The Humane Society of Broward County is located at 2070 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL and opens daily at 11 a.m. If you have any questions call 954-989-3977 ext. 6 ❤️ #adopted #goinghome #dogrescue #adoptdontshop #rescuedog #dogsoftiktok #dogreels #dog #shelterdog #dogshelter #foryoupage #pittiesoftiktok #bullybreed #foryou #staffy #gotchaday #fyp #good #feelgood #happy #wholesome #love #happyday #happydog #tgif #americanbulldog #doglover #friyay #friday ♬ original sound – Humane Society Broward County
Bellarina is now part of a family that adores her to bits, soaking up all the love she once thought was out of her reach.
“For Bellarina, finding a forever home didn’t just mark the end of her long wait — it marked the beginning of her best life. That’s the beauty of adoption,” pet rescue advocate Rocky Kanaka says.
Read This Next
![[FEB] Labrodog Whisky Prices Review in India 2024 | Prices List](https://images.dappier.com/dm_02hr75e8ate6adr15hjrf3ikol/Labrodog-Whisky-Price-in-India_.jpg?width=428&height=241)
