depressed dog appears to have given up hope after four years in a shelter with little in the way of interest from visitors.
When Shyla first arrived at Humane Society Naples, a no-kill shelter in Florida back in September 2020, little was known about her life before. “She was discovered wandering the streets of Collier County and was never reclaimed,” Patrizia Vila, the organization’s events and outreach coordinator, told Newsweek.
Shyla initially struggled to adjust to life in the busy surroundings of the shelter. “She exhibited shyness and fear in her kennel and was nervous of new people when we saw her,” Vila said.
But, as time went on and she got used to her new routine, Shyla began to display her true personality and proved a hit with her caregivers. “The best way to describe Shyla is that she’s high-energy, playful, and a bit goofy,” Vila said.
Time has ticked on though and earlier this year, Shyla hit the heartbreaking milestone of four years at the shelter. It’s a stay that is starting to impact her negatively.
Vila said: “Her character is still the same, but you can tell the shelter has made an impact.” While other dogs happily greet staff upon arrival in the morning, Vila says that Shyla “doesn’t react at all” to anyone arriving. She still has moments of joy throughout the day, but they are increasingly tinged with sadness.
“The best times for her are when we wake her up, play with her out in the yard, or go on a run to get a pup cup with her,” Vila said. “There is a sadness in her eyes, even on her good days, as she cannot spend more time with the people she loves.”
Though Shyla has warmed up to her carers over the course of four years at the shelter, she doesn’t have the same window of time in which to make a good impression on visitors.
According to a 2014 study published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science, shelter visitors interact with an average of just one dog per visit and these interactions last just eight minutes.
Vila said this is part of the problem for Shyla, but not all of it. “Her fear of new people makes Shyla difficult to adopt,” Vila said. “She also suffers from just being another brown pit bull in a shelter, but those who know her know that she is anything but typical.”
A dog like Shyla requires time and patience but Vila believes that anyone who puts in that effort will be rewarded with a friend for life. “Shyla still has a spark, loves to play, give kisses, snuggle with you, and makes us laugh every day,” she said. “Shyla might need a few encounters to get close to someone, and most people aren’t ready to commit to several meetings with a dog to take home.”
Though Shyla might feel down about being in the shelter, the Vila said the staff there continue to provide “love, enrichment and outings” and it definitely has a positive effect.
“Seeing her favorite people each day makes her smile the most,” Vila said. “She will dance at the door and give kisses and hugs to all of her people. She can make even the worst day better.”
Capable of living by herself or with another dog, though best suited to a house with adults only or older children, Shyla would make the perfect companion for watching movies on the couch or snuggling up in bed. The challenge now is to find that someone special before her situation deteriorates any further. Others have proved it is possible.
Vila said: “She needs someone committed to helping her conquer her fears and showing her all the love.”