Shelter is not a place for a dog, and we all know it. Unfortunately, not all of our furry friends are lucky enough to enjoy life in a warm home with a loving family.
Being in the shelter for just a few days is stressful for a canine, so you can only imagine how some dogs feel when they have to spend a lot more time between the four walls of a kennel.
One poor pup not only had to spend the majority of his time in that awful place, but he also had to experience three heartbreaks as he was returned to the shelter as many times.
The staff from the shelter in Fresno, California, decided to share his sad fate with their followers in the hope that someone would hear his cries.
So Many Heartbreaks
Although he had been everywhere during his lifetime, the Valley Animal Center in Fresno, California, was the only place Eros could call “home”. He actually had an owner before he first came to this shelter, but it wasn’t a pretty life.
“Eros came into our care as an agency transfer from a local animal control shelter,” Ruben Cantu, an animal care adoption supervisor at the shelter, told Newsweek. “From what was told to us by that shelter, he grew up in a homeless encampment, and never had a steady ‘home’ setting. His owner was unfortunately arrested, and Eros was taken by animal control.”
After the shelter took him in, it wasn’t long before he was adopted. The staff thought Eros was a lucky dog to find a home so quickly, but it was actually just one in a series of heartbreaks.
According to Cantu, the first adopter didn’t want him because of his high energy level and because they thought he was too hyper. A new adoption attempt soon followed, but unfortunately, it was again unsuccessful.
“His second home had a dog already in the home and even with training and our assistance the existing dog in the home would not accept Eros as a house mate and they felt he was safer coming back to us,” Cantu said.
After the third heartbreak, the staff couldn’t take it anymore and decided to share their disappointment with the public.
Agony In The Shelter
When Eros left the shelter for the third time and headed toward his new abode, the staff really thought that luck had finally smiled on him this time. Unfortunately, they were wrong.
“Eros was happy to be adopted after he was returned twice. But his happiness didn’t last long. He was returned for the third time through no fault of his own.” they wrote in the heartbreaking TikTok video.
The sad fate of this poor dog brought tears to their eyes, but even more, the people from the shelter were aware of the real consequences of this set of circumstances.
According to Physiology and Behavior, just three days spent in a shelter can have major negative effects on canines. Namely, the level of their stress hormone, cortisol, can increase as much as three times during that time.
Now, you can only imagine what returning to the shelter three times can do to the physical and psychological well-being of a dog. Poor Eros surely knows that best.
“We are fortunate to have a relationship with Eros and that has helped make him feel comfortable since coming back, but I know he suffers from stress of the shelter,” Cantu stated.
No dog deserves the stress caused by three days in a shelter, let alone one that Eros went through.
Finally A Blessing
When the shelter staff got the call from the potential adopter of Eros for the fourth time, their feelings were a mix of happiness and fear. However, they had no other choice but to risk and believe that this time would be different. Apparently, it is finally a blessing.
“Eros has found an amazing home with a couple that I truly believe understands what Eros has been through and what he needs to feel comfortable in his new home,” Cantu happily stated.
Besides amazing people who enjoy his immense energy, unlike last time, Eros is not a problem for their dog either. In fact, his new canine brother is over the moon every time he sees him.
“If you had seen their first introduction to each other, you would think they had been best buds for a long time,” Cantu said.
After everything he went through and the immense stress he experienced, everything fell into place in Eros’ life, and he managed to find happiness. This dog is finally in a place he can truly call home.