Having spent months within the confines of a shelter without catching anyone’s eye or finding a forever home, Reece’s harrowing experience has left him paralyzed with fear, making even the simplest movements seem overwhelming.
Reece isn’t alone in this struggle – he’s just one of the many dogs who, following an extended stay in the shelter, grapple with the heart-wrenching effects of kennel stress.
For a little puppy such as Reece, this kind of experience takes a significant emotional toll, leaving them scared, confused, and fighting for a better life.
Scared, Alone, And Confused
Reece, a seven-month-old German Shepherd mix, with a striking black and tan coat, found himself at Riverside County Animal Control Shelter, in Jurupa Valley, California, after being discovered wandering the streets entirely on his own.
This 28-pound dog arrived at the shelter at the end of September 2023, and sadly, since then, he has not garnered any interest at all.
Unfortunately, the extended stay in this environment has taken a toll on this young pup, and Reece has started to show signs of kennel stress.
“Reece was impounded at our shelter on September 30 after he was found roaming the streets. At that time, Reece was struggling to understand how to walk on a leash and was reluctant to have interaction with humans. As a pup, we were hoping to see Reece’s behavior turn around. However, Reece’s social skills appear to remain a challenge for him in the shelter environment at this time,” Kerri S. Mabee, deputy public information officer at Riverside County Department of Animal Services, told Newsweek.
After 50 days, Reece became the shelter’s longest resident, and unfortunately, he ended up on the euthanasia list.
This little one urgently needed a hero to step in and save his life.
Saving Reece’s Life
The Instagram account, “Saving Riverside Shelter Dogs”, which is dedicated to saving urgent dogs facing euthanasia at Riverside Shelter, California, quickly took action and posted a heart-wrenching video urging people to help Reece.
“Reece has completely shut down after being passed by for 50 days. He is so scared, he won’t even move in the play yard. HE IS JUST A BABY! Scared, alone, confused… We are begging somebody to save his life & give him the best life moving forward,” the volunteer-run page wrote.
“How has a puppy gotten no interest at all? After 48 days?” the volunteer behind the account wondered.
“He was so scared and wouldn’t come anywhere near me when I approached his kennel. But every time I left treats, he would wait until I left to come out and get them. And then ran back inside to hide,” another volunteer wrote.
Luckily, the videos garnered a lot of attention online, and numerous people were eager to know how they could help or even adopt the adorable little pup.
“No wonder he’s scared!!! It’s scary in there!!! He is a clever boy and knows he’s in danger. Oh please, please, someone get him out and love him forever,” one person commented.
In the end, the videos played a crucial role in saving Reece’s life.
Reece was joyfully adopted and rescued from the brink of certain death.