When staff members at Main Line Animal Rescue (MLAR) in Pennsylvania first met Bobby, a 2-year-old Norwegian Elkhound rescued from a commercial breeder, they could immediately tell he wasn’t used to being around so many people. Their hearts ached as they realized just how terrified the huge pup felt.
“The first time we met Bobby, he was just shaking in the back of his kennel uncontrollably and just looked so defeated,” a representative from MLAR told The Dodo. “He was so scared and frozen with fear. It was really heartbreaking to see such a sweet, gentle dog so afraid of just living.”
Bobby’s amiable nature shone through his big black eyes, but his body remained paralyzed with dread. The pup couldn’t handle the noise and chaos of the shelter.
Shelter staff took a video of Bobby in his kennel and posted it to their social media accounts, urging adopters to take a chance on the anxious boy.
“His kind heart wants nothing more than to trust and feel love, but in this environment, it’s simply too much for him,” Main Line Animal Rescue wrote in the post.
Rescuers knew they’d need to be extra patient with Bobby. They let him take his time and introduced him to lots of new dog friends. Eventually, he began to come out of his shell.
“He thrived being with other dogs, and he learned that people were kind and nice to him!” the representative said. “Though still extraordinarily shy, every single day he was making progress and showing us what an amazing boy he was.”
Bobby’s video soon reached the perfect people — a family of dog lovers who were so moved by Bobby’s tenderness and immediately knew they had to take him home.
“They have another Elkhound that Bobby has really bonded with, and it has really helped him come out of his shell,” the representative said. “We are so happy to see him starting his next chapter in life with a forever family and wish that every dog from situations similar to his could find their happily-ever-after too!”
