Lola, a one-year-old American Bully who spent days hiding in her kennel ‘terrified of every noise’, has found her forever home. The pocket-sized pup from the Richardson Animal Shelter in Dallas, Texas, melted thousands of hearts with her heartbreaking stare, and a follow-up update from the volunteer who championed her has now confirmed she was adopted.
Lola had already been through a great deal before she ended up at the shelter. She was shut down and scared throughout her three-day stray hold, hiding in her kennel and flinching at every unfamiliar sound. Shelter volunteer Sasha, who posts as @sashapawstx, was determined to help her shine, and filmed the moment she gently coaxed Lola out of the kennel for her first steps outside. On-screen text on the video read: ‘Sometimes all a shelter dog needs is someone to show them they’re safe.’
A slow road to trust
The video, first covered by DogTime on November 6, showed Lola cautiously peeking from her kennel before moving towards the open doorway, taking in every unfamiliar sound. Sasha explained that it was Lola’s first time outside after completing her stray hold. With a little time and encouragement, Lola found her confidence, and commenters fell in love with the sweet and special pup. One, @fosterladylauren, wrote: ‘Oh my gosh, what a smushy little face and such a brave girl!’
Many viewers commented that they wanted to adopt her. As PetHelpful noted, a social media comment is not the same as committing to adoption, but a long-awaited update from Sasha proved someone made good on their word: Lola was adopted, and is now on her way to living her best life.
Why her story travelled
Lola’s story is the latest reminder of how a single video can change a shelter dog’s life. Shelters across the United States are overflowing, and shy or shut-down dogs are often overlooked in favour of confident ones. A volunteer with a phone and a little patience can be the difference between a dog being seen and a dog being passed by.
For Lola, the ending is a happy one. She arrived at the shelter frightened of everything, and she leaves it with a family of her own. See Heartbroken chihuahua Lindor finds forever home in Houston and Girl’s calm reaction to surprise shelter dog melts hearts.
