Tears at What Shelter Dog Does When 'Someone Finally Notices' Her
The internet has been left in pieces by a "heartbreaking" video showing a shelter dog's reaction to being noticed—but thankfully there was a happy ending.
The Desert Dog Project works with shelters in Arizona. One of its pups became a social media star when users were left "bawling" at a video shared to the TikTok account @desertdogproject.
In the clip, posted on June 1 and with over 58,000 likes, a black dog, Layla, can be seen in a glass kennel.
As the person behind the camera approaches, she gets so excited she begins to flop down, twist, turn, and lick her lips.
She wags her tail so hard that it moves her whole body, before jumping up against the glass. Layla's video was shared with the caption: "When you're a shelter dog and someone finally notices you."
@desertdogproject When youâre a shelter dog and someone finally notices youâ¦â¦ *Layla has been adopted, but there are 850 other dogs available for adoption at MCACC East and West shelters in AZ! #animalshelter #shelterdog #adoptdontshop #rescued of #pitbulllove #arizona #pittielove #dogsofinstagram #dogoftheday #adoptme #fosteringsaveslives #fosterpup #phoenix #maricopa #pitbull #pitbullsofficial #pitbullsofinstagram #puppies #puppy #puppylove #dogsofinstagram #dog #rescue #rescuedog #rescuedogsofinstagram #adopt #arizona #pitmix #shelterdog #dogrescuers #dogrescuesofinstagram
⬠what was I made for? - Instrumental - Wheeler
The video led to an outpouring of emotion from TikTok users, one admitting they were "bawling now."
"All shelter dogs deserve a furever loving home," one wrote, with another admitting they get "so sad watching these poor beautiful souls."
Another said it was "so heartbreaking," while one pleaded: "Please save and rescue this precious pup."
Thankfully there was good news for Layla and all those who were affected by her story, as the Project added in the caption that she has now been adopted.
However, they added that there are still 850 other dogs still waiting for their forever home in their Maricopa County Animal Care and Control partner shelters in Arizona.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), around 6.3 million animals enter shelters across the United States each year.
Of those, around 3.1 million are dogs—way down from an estimated 3.9 million in 2011.
Around 2 million dogs are adopted from shelters each year, as campaigners plead for people to 'adopt, don't shop', and get their pets from a shelter rather than a breeder.
The Desert Dog Project helps out shelter dogs with special medical needs, and regularly shares videos on TikTok of the myriad canines they care for.
Some of these dogs are at risk of being euthanized if they are not adopted, and the charity uses their platform to give animals a last-ditch chance at finding happiness.
For every horror story about dogs being cruelly abandoned, like a mother and puppies found tied to a gate in the rain, there are happy stories to match them.
Like the senior dog who had given up on finding his forever home before meeting his 70-year-old now-owner, or a "traumatized" dog who learned to trust again in foster care, and has now found a loving home with a new family.
Newsweek has contacted the Desert Dog Project via email for comment.
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