Shelter Dog So 'Depressed' He Can Barely Bring Himself To Go on Walk

A heartbroken shelter dog is struggling to muster the energy even to go for a walk after being returned by his adopter.

Carl the 6-year-old's plight was first highlighted by QC Paws, a private nonprofit organization that supports the animals of the Rock Island County Animal Care & Control Shelter in Illinois, where he currently lives.

"Carl came to us in December of 2022," Samantha Wiley, the director of Rock Island County Animal Care & Control Shelter told Newsweek. "He was adopted out once, but it didn't pan out as they had small pocket pets."

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Carl sits by the glass door on a leash. He has been stressed since returning to the shelter. Carl sits by the glass door on a leash. He has been stressed since returning to the shelter.

The hustle and bustle of a busy shelter can often be too much for many new arrivals. A study published in the scientific journal Physiology and Behavior found canines entering the shelter system were found to have three times higher the levels of the stress hormone cortisol than dogs in standard households.

Carl's situation is even worse, though. He has already experienced the fear and anxiety of entering the shelter once, only to go through all of that again after his dreams of a forever home were crushed.

Carl has spent 20 months in and out of the system, and it has clearly started to take a toll. In a Facebook post, Shari Smiley from QC Paws told Newsweek about the negative impact being adopted and then returned has had on the pup.

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"Carl is so stressed and depressed after coming back to the shelter," Smiley said. "We tried to go for a walk, and then he froze and didn't want to go out. It's almost like Carl knows it's not his forever yet."

Smiley added that Carl has been "stressed and scared" since his return and has started to put on weight. Staff are doing their level best to help him adjust, though, with lots of cuddles and one-on-one time.

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That can make a huge difference to a shelter pet. A 2018 study from Applied Animal Behavior Science found just 15 minutes of one-on-one petting was enough to boost the well-being of a shelter dog. But Carl needs more than that: he needs a home.

Despite his difficulties, Smiley firmly believes Carl is a "super lovey boy" who just needs "a bestie who will be patient with him while he adjusts to being back in a home."

Carl the rescue dog stands on grass. Even walks outside have become difficult as he knows his time away from the shelter is only temporary. Carl the rescue dog stands on grass. Even walks outside have become difficult as he knows his time away from the shelter is only temporary. Qc Paws

"Other dogs have stressed Carl out, so at this time we would say he needs to be the first dog then he might warm up to a doggie addition once he feels secure," Smiley said.

Anyone wishing to give Carl a chance or see some of the other dogs worthy of love are invited to visit Rock Island County Animal Care & Control Shelter. "Take a chance," Smiley added.