They say you should never judge a book by its cover. Or in this case: you should never judge a dog by how they behave in a shelter.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the anxious, withdrawn, or even seemingly aggressive dogs you see in shelters are rarely showing their true personalities.
Think about it: a dog who is naturally loving and playful, but after months of constant noise, barking, and confinement, slowly loses their spirit. It happens far too often.
Hibiscus, a three-month-old puppy, experienced this herself. The stress of shelter life left her too frightened to even step outside her kennel…until one volunteer decided to give her a chance.
The Power Of Compassion
Kayla Lyman, who runs the TikTok account Rosie And The Shelter Pups, is known for highlighting the stories of dogs who need extra love. Recently, she shared Hibiscus’ journey in a video that quickly went viral.
Hibiscus arrived at West Valley City Animal Services in Utah as a sweet-natured little pup. But the shelter environment soon wore her down, and fear took over.
She became too scared to leave her kennel, the only space that felt familiar.
She had no real socialization and lacked the confidence to meet new people or dogs. But Lyman knew this wasn’t her true self.
“She went from scared to leave her shelter kennel to confident & cuddly. Her fear wasn’t who she was, it was where she was,” Kayla explained in her video.
During their first meet-and-greet, Lyman offered Hibiscus gentle affection. To everyone’s surprise, the nervous puppy quickly responded, climbing into her lap for comfort. For the first time, Hibiscus left her kennel to enjoy real human connection.
It turned out, all she needed was to feel safe and loved.
“Sometimes a change of environment gets you a completely different dog. She just wanted to feel safe & loved. Now she’s ready to be out all the time,” Kayla said.
The heartwarming video reached thousands of viewers on TikTok, with many leaving emotional messages of support.
“Praying she finds her forever family and gets all of the love she deserves,” one person commented.
“She is SO adorable!!!!! I pray she finds the best family ASAP,” another added.
Hoping For A Home
Hibiscus is still at the shelter in Utah, but thanks to Kayla’s video, she now has a voice and a chance to be seen by potential adopters.
At just three months old, she has her whole life ahead of her. What she needs now is a family who will show her kindness, patience, and the love every dog deserves.
Kayla encourages anyone considering adding a dog to their life to always look to shelters first.
“I would encourage anyone who is looking to get a dog, to shop shelters and rescues,” she stated in an interview.
No matter what qualities you’re searching for, whether active or mellow, young or senior, shelters are full of amazing dogs waiting for homes. And adopting one could mean the difference between life and death.