Shelters and rescues are never meant to be permanent homes for dogs, but sadly, sometimes the canines spend far too long in the shelter system, desperately waiting for a chance.
Peanut, a Labrador Mix, knows how it feels to be overlooked time and time again. He watched other dogs find happiness while he stayed at the shelter and waited for someone to give him a chance.
The puppy was born at The Vanderpump Dog Foundation in Los Angeles, California.
The shelter staff was confident that he would find a home pretty soon.
And he did, but sadly, things didn’t go as planned. Something happened in his home that hurt Peanut and turned him into a scared and withdrawn pup.
Peanut Gets Adopted And Then Returned
Peanut wasn’t properly socialized in his new home. He developed trauma, and as a result, he started behaving unpredictably.
The family returned him to the California shelter shortly after adoption.
Upon returning to the shelter, the pup had a guarded heart filled with fear.
His shelter friends were his favorite people, and with them, he showed his true personality. They gave him a lot of love, and he trusted them.
They rooted for their boy to find a loving home where he could thrive and be happy.
Unfortunately, finding a forever home proved to be extremely difficult for Peanut.
He has spent years moving in and out of the shelter. The pup never stayed long enough to decompress, and thus, he never got a real chance to settle in.
Peanut has waited for over 500 days for someone to accept him as he is and give him time to adjust to his new home.
He is frightened of new people and finds it difficult to trust them right off the bat.
When he meets potential adopters, he curls up in the corner of the kennel. People tend to think that he is unfriendly, when actually, he is overwhelmed with fear.
“He’s terrified of people and invisible to adopters. They say he’s unadoptable. But really, he’s just been waiting five years for someone he can trust,” @savethedogs wrote on TikTok.
Hoping To Find His Person
Sadly, the potential adopters don’t see Peanut’s real personality and the way he interacts with the people whom he trusts.
The doggo loves snuggling with the shelter staff and soaking up their affection.
“Peanut is loyal, playful, and affectionate with his favorite people, and loves sunbathing and playing fetch, The Vanderpump Dog Foundation wrote on Instagram.
The doggo has been failed too many times in the past, but he doesn’t give up hope of finding his happily ever after.
The rescue believes that Peanut would thrive in a household where he would be the only dog. He needs a patient owner who will understand him and give him time to settle into his new home and be the affectionate and goofy dog his friends know him to be.
“He thrives on structure, and needs an owner who is ready to guide [him] so he can be the goofy guy we know him to be,” The Vanderpump Dog Foundation added.
We all hope that Peanut will meet his forever human, who will show him how wonderful life is. He has waited too long, and he deserves to finally be happy.