None of us want to see a dog stuffed in a shelter for an extended amount of time but unfortunately, it happens far too often. Those dogs may get a little interaction with other humans and dogs, and they are warm and dry at night but there is still something lacking in their lives.
There are many dogs who get overlooked at the shelters because there are smaller or “cuter” dogs available. Some of those dogs may even spend years in the shelter! Doing so can take a toll on the dogs both physically and psychologically.
There are some shelter workers who are willing to go the extra mile to help these animals. Whitney Steele is one of those individuals, who works at an animal shelter where she met a special dog, named Lana. The four-year-old bull mastiff mix was rescued off the streets when she was a puppy but the rescuers could not keep her any longer so she was surrendered to the shelter.
At that point in her life, Lana had to adjust to a shelter life and to make matters worse, she was passed over by many people who were looking to adopt. Steele saw what kennel life was doing to Lana, so she wanted to make people more aware of her circumstances.
You can see her efforts in the picture story below.
This is Lana. The four-year-old bull mastiff mix was left at an animal shelter after spending years in a home. She went from being a family dog to being one of many in the shelter. She was stuck there for four months and still looking for a home.
Whitney Steele, a worker at the shelter, saw her plight and decided to do something about it. Lana was the longest term resident at the shelter and was often passed over in favor of other dogs.
Steele decided to take drastic measures.
She moved right into Lana’s kennel and not just for a little while, she stays in there 24 hours a day, seven days a week. She sleeps on the dog bed along with Lana and experiences life in the kennel.
Steele posted a sign discussing why she was doing what she was doing. After all, people were likely distressed after seeing the human in the kennel.
Her sit in attracted the attention of local businesses who brought her meals and discussed the situation. She continued to conduct business from the kennel on a laptop and mobile phone. Even meetings were held with other shelter employees in the kennel.
She also learned, firsthand, what it means to sit in a cage all day.
Michael Morefield, the AAWLSPCA’s marketing and communications manager, explained that even though the shelter does their best to make the dogs comfortable, “It’s not a comfortable, loving home.”
“Even after one night, Whitney has really taken to heart that she misses home, and Lana has been doing this every day for four months. That was a hard realization,” he said.
But it’s been a fun experience for Lana, who has a roommate.
“They have really bonded and are going through all those fun roommate situations,” Morefield jokes. “Who ate the last slice of pizza, who stole the pillow, what to watch on Netflix.”
Steele already has a number of pets, and so she’s unable to adopt Lana herself. But she wants to make sure the world knows just what a sweet and lovable dog Lana is.
And after three days of sitting in solidarity with this lonely pooch?
Lana was able to find a home. Thanks to the attention that was raised by Steele, she is a family dog again.
Via: Little Things
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