Category: Featured Dog Friday

We see so many dogs come into shelters, but the ones who really touch our hearts are the owner surrenders; these are the animals that had once known what a home was, and lost it in seconds. Owner surrenders can be some of the most heartbroken dogs we see in the shelters. People don’t seem to understand or accept the reality for the surrendered pet, and what it does to them.

Today we are re-featuring a stunning beauty, Oreo! This very scared but sweet girl is completely unnoticed in a crowded shelter. 

Oreo was sadly surrendered to the Town of Babylon Animal Shelter in March of 2021 because her family “no longer had time for her.” This beautiful soul lived her entire life in a home and now finds herself in a strange, noisy, scary place. She is extremely heartbroken, sad and very lost without her family – the shelter environment is literally destroying her. 

Why is it that this beautiful girl goes unnoticed? Oreo could be invisible in the shelter because of her coat color, or in other words, “Black Dog Syndrome” – too many people judge dogs by their looks.

“Black Dog Syndrome” is a phenomenon in which black dogs are passed over for adoption in favor of lighter colored ones. You may be shaking your head reading this, but it’s true! Research has been done in this area and has found that stigma against certain breed types. Oftentimes, black dogs are portrayed as aggressive in film or television, and some people even believe that the color black is associated with evil or misfortune and this bias transfers over to their choice of a dog. This is basically known as a coat color bias.

Oreo is a sweet, loving girl. She is about 5 years old, full of energy, loves to play fetch and cuddle with her people. She just loves people and craves attention. Because the shelter is so scary for her she does need a few minutes to warm up, but just throw a tennis ball and she is your new best friend! 

This poor girl is very stressed and unhappy in the shelter, but has bonded closely to her people. She has become protective of her people and her space, but who could blame her. After having already lost the only home and family she has ever known, she’s protecting what she currently does have that is very valuable to her right now. She does not guard her food or toys. 

Oreo loves to run and play and is extremely intelligent. She does have a lot of energy and requires lots of exercise, but once she gets that energy out, she calms right down and just enjoys hanging out, being loved and cuddled. 

This beautiful angel needs a family that will give her the time and patience she needs to learn to trust and decompress from the trauma and change she has had to endure. A very special home, one with a family that understands her, her needs, and all that she is dealing with emotionally. Oreo needs someone that will give her the time she needs to realize that she is safe, loved, and will never be abandoned again. 

The shelter firmly believes that once Oreo is out of the shelter and in a home she will be a different dog, but for now they want to be cautious and are saying adult only household with no other pets. 

Won’t you please consider stepping up to help this beautiful girl? At the very least, we ask that you please share to help find that special someone who can make Oreo’s dream come true. Let’s not allow her to wait any longer – the effects of shelter life on this once beloved family dog are just unbearable. 

If you’re considering adopting a dog, remember that a dog of any color can fit your lifestyle. Don’t overlook that dark-coated beauty waiting in the shadows. You may be overlooking the love of your life! 

PLEASE, go meet Oreo, we promise you will fall in love. She just needs that special someone to give her that chance. She is SUPER stressed at the shelter and desperately needs a family to love! 

Babylon Animal Shelter
80 New Highway
Amityville, New York 11701
(631) 643-9270 

Be sure to head over to Adoption Central right here on Paws Give Me Purpose, share Oreo and all the other Featured Dog Friday pups still in search of their forever homes.

Adoption Central

For most dogs, being surrendered to an animal shelter is a drastic change and a very stressful experience. Even though a shelter may make every effort possible to make a dog’s new home welcoming, it is still often the place where dogs are confined, separated from their families, and exposed to more noise due to the close proximity of other dogs. 

Any dog, rescued or not, will fill your life with love and slobbery kisses, but there is an intangible quality that comes with a rescue or shelter dog. How many times have you looked at your pup and felt an almost sacred bond with him/her? Or how often do you catch yourself talking about how your dog came into your life at the perfect moment? Once you’ve adopted a dog, you realize there’s some cosmic force that brought you together, and your life is much better because of it.

Today we are re-featuring stunning Shelly! She is sadly still waiting for the forever she was promised and it is beyond heartbreaking. Please take note of the changes in Shelly’s requirements for a home since our last article. 

Poor Shelly is experiencing a high level of stress and anxiety; the shelter environment is a difficult one for dogs to navigate as it is always changing. Different dogs coming in and going out, it’s very loud and chaotic. Some dogs are not phased at all by the daily activity while others are much more sensitive to the activity like Shelly. 

Shelly was picked up as a stray and brought to the Town of Brookhaven Animal Shelter by a good samaritan, and as it turns out she was actually adopted a few years ago. Sadly, her family is no longer able to care for her, and she now sits alone and frightened behind shelter walls. 

When a dog was once a treasured family pet, their devastation upon abandonment is nothing short of heartbreaking. They wait for their family to come back for them. With every visitor and every walk outdoors, they’re certain they will be going home. With every breath, every blink, and every sigh they wonder where their families are.

Shelly is now looking for a second chance at a happy life. She is about 7 years young, a petite 48 pounds, up to date on vaccinations, spayed, micro-chipped and heartworm negative. She is ready to meet her love connection and would do best in households with children over the age of 12. 

Beautiful Shelly is a ball of sunshine who loves going for long walks and really enjoys playtime. Shelly will make an amazing family dog! She has tons of energy, and would make a great running or hiking buddy. A high energy dog can be a ton of fun since they love to play, learn and accompany you on all your adventures. But to get to the fun parts, you have to accept the challenges that are also part of the deal. Shelly requires a lot of exercise to help her expend all of her energy. 

Even with the best and most well-intentioned care, a shelter is not a home – and the impacts of long-term sheltering are too serious to ignore. It’s a sad fact that long shelter stays increase the odds of behavioral deterioration and this emotional trauma may cause issues such as chronic fear, anxiety, depression or even aggression. If a dog remains in shelter care indefinitely it most certainly may lead to long-term emotional suffering. Due to her time in the shelter, Shelly has begun to deteriorate, and is currently taking Prozac for her anxiety. Let’s not allow her to decline any more, help us find her a forever home! 

The shelter states that Shelly would do best with calm, low key female doggie friends both big and small, a meet and greet is required at the shelter. She is not a fan of cats. We have been told that she’s such a good girl that they don’t understand why she’s still waiting – and neither do we!

There is no reason she should be sitting behind shelter walls for so long with no interest. She is incredibly friendly, sweet, full of energy and fun. She loves to run, play fetch and enjoys the agility course. She knows to sit and knows to wait. She will sit at a door and wait until you give her the go ahead to move forward. 

Every dog deserves a loving family with whom to spend their life. Adopting a homeless dog is an amazing act of compassion and a highly rewarding experience. Giving a shelter dog a chance to live in the comfort of a loving home is priceless. Don’t hesitate to give yourself the wonderful opportunity to brighten a dog’s life; you will not regret it.

Every night when her kennel door closes Shelly dreams of a loving home and family to call her own. Don’t hesitate to go and meet her, we guarantee you will fall in love!

Brookhaven Animal Shelter
300 Horseblock Road
Brookhaven, NY 11719
(631) 451-6950

Be sure to head over to Adoption Central right here on Paws Give Me Purpose, share Shelly and all the other Featured Dog Friday pups still in search of their forever homes.

Adoption Central

Today we are re-featuring handsome Dougie whose heartbreaking story touches our hearts like no other. Here we are beginning the new year while sweet Dougie still waits behind shelter walls for the forever he was promised; waiting for the love of his life and a home to call his own. He is looking for a fresh start, a bed to curl up in and a human to share his life with forever. 

Dougie originally came to the Town of Brookhaven Animal Shelter as a stray in October of 2019. He waited and waited for his family to come and find him and take him home but that never happened. Then in April of 2019 Dougie was adopted; but sadly returned after he escaped his yard by jumping the four-foot high  fence multiple times to chase after other animals. 

In March of 2022, we were thrilled to release a Happy Tails announcement — Dougie was adopted. Sadly, his family experienced an unexpected tragedy and poor Dougie is homeless once again. Thankfully, the shelter staff and volunteers who know Dougie so very well are there to help mend his once again broken heart, but deep down inside they know a forever home is what he really needs. 

Dougie is as sweet as they come, a very affectionate cuddle bug with tons of love to share, but he is simply not a fan of other animals. You see, Dougie has a high prey drive which requires management by an experienced dog person. 

One of the main reasons dogs like Dougie chase other animals is simply because it is fun. Prey drive is normal, it is manageable and you can train a dog to stop reacting or redirect those instincts into something just as pleasurable, such as games. We have discussed high prey drive before in a couple articles and will reiterate that this is a 100% natural type of chase, is an internal state and an instinctive behavior in all dogs. Some dogs have a higher desire to chase, while others may have little to no desire to chase. 

Prey drive is not breed specific and it is not the same thing as social aggression shown towards other dogs. Dougie walks very nicely on a leash and can pass other dogs with no issues while out on a walk, but off leash, if he gets out of a yard loose, he will run after any animal he sees. 

While it can be difficult to change an innate, instinctive behavior, it is possible to manage a high prey drive dog a lot better with the right training and intervention. With this in mind, Dougie needs an active home where he can exercise on a daily basis. A very special mom and dad — a savvy, experienced, strong, and patient individuals who ars committed to him and will put in the time needed to teach him the ropes of life and help him become the best he can be. Individuals with time to engage him in other play activities that involve chasing, catching and retrieving, playing with toys, playing fetch, tug of war or maybe even involving him in agility sports as a positive and fun outlet for his prey drive.

Dougie will do best as your only pet in an adult-only household with a secure, six-foot high, fenced in yard. He is estimated to be about 9 years young, weighs 64 pounds, is up to date on vaccinations, neutered, micro-chipped and heartworm negative. He is completely housebroken, knows his basic commands, and is crate trained. 

It is a sad fact that senior pets like Dougie are often the last to be adopted. When asked why this is, a common concern is that an older dog won’t be in your life as long as a puppy would. While this may be true, their gratitude, love and loyalty is just as true. If anything, a senior dog will teach you to value every day you have the honor of spending with them that much more and they’ll thank you forever for seeing past their grey muzzle to the love they still have to give. 

Adopting a senior dog like Dougie and giving him a second chance to live his last years in the comfort of a loving home is priceless. Some things just get better with age, and there is no exception when it comes to senior dogs. In spite of their age, or maybe because of it, they are very special.

We really can’t say enough about what an affectionate loving guy he is! Dougie is an all around amazing dog with a lively personality. He is very people oriented, eager to please and very intelligent. Could you be the one to make his wish come true?

No one really knows how much time they have left on this earth, and it’s just so heartbreaking to see Dougie back behind shelter walls. Let’s not allow him to wait any longer! 

If you’re interested in this handsome boy, make an appointment and head down to the shelter – don’t hesitate! Dougie has been waiting far too long already. Although he needs to be your one and only pet, he is so full of life and love that he is all you will ever need!

Town of Brookhaven Animal Shelter
300 Horseblock Road
Brookhaven, NY 11719
(631) 451-6950

Be sure to head over to Adoption Central right here on Paws Give Me Purpose, share Dougie and all the other Featured Dog Friday pups still in search of their forever homes.

Adoption Central