An adorable pooch who spent 10 months waiting to be adopted now looks unrecognisable after finding his forever home.
Mixed breed Juice patiently watched all of his playmates leave Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center in Maryland, USA, with their new owners while he waited for somebody to notice him. Rescue workers shared their concerns for the dog after catching him crying in his kennel, slowly losing his spark as a result of the stress of shelter life.
A worker said: “For a long time, Juice was the example we used as a dog who could manage the stress of shelter life without getting depressed. But in the past month that changed – he started to lose his confidence.
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“Then he was adopted and we jumped for joy. But it wasn’t the right match, and after a couple of days, he was back in his kennel, more stressed than ever. Staff began to notice him crying, panting, and pacing more frequently.
“One of our staff took him home for a sleepover to give him a break from the shelter and try to help him relax. But when she brought him back in the morning and put him back in the kennel, he started crying and didn’t stop all day,” they added.
“Living in a shelter is not a life, and we’re afraid that Juice is beginning to lose himself.” In a desperate bid to find Juice a forever home, the rescue team shared a heart-breaking plea on Facebook, urging someone to open their hearts and homes to this unwanted dog.
The rehoming appeal for Juice, a lovable and goofy dog, touched hearts after he spent almost a year in a shelter. The worker said: “This is a story about Juice: a cuddly, loving, giant-headed goofball who has been at the shelter for almost 10 months.
“And Juice really, really needs your help. He needs a home where he can be himself and regain the confidence and trust that he has lost. He needs a family who will give him time and patience. We know that he’ll repay that kindness with incredible loyalty and endless snuggles.
“Please, don’t let Juice cry in his kennel anymore. Help us find him a home.” The shelter was soon overwhelmed with applications for the adorable canine, and within days, Juice found his forever home.
Now, four months on, Juice is thriving, having shed some weight, sporting a Hulk t-shirt, and even getting ready to try out weight pulls as a new activity. He no longer cries alone – and instead spends much of his time running around his new garden playing with his owners.
Commenting on Juice’s emotional transformation, one social media user said: “This absolutely melts my heart. I could notget this sweet baby out of my mind! I am so happy he finally has a loving home!”
Another user added: “Yay! So happy for Juice! This happy ending brought tears to my eyes. Many thanks to his new family for adopting him and giving him a forever home.” A third user said: You can see the happiness in his face, he knows he’s part of a family now!”