While many senior dogs and pit bulls are just as playful and energetic as their younger counterparts and other breeds, many of them go unadopted in shelters since many people will always opt to adopt a puppy or a breed with a better reputation.
That’s why Diamond has been stuck at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Long Island, New York for two years.
Diamond, who is 9-years-old, had lived with a couple since she was a puppy but she wound up at the shelter in April 2016 after her family was no longer able to care for her. Her owners were heartbroken over letting her go but they had no choice.
“The people who had her was an older couple, and they basically told us that they couldn’t take care of her anymore,” kennel supervisor at Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter Melissa Fogarty told The Dodo. “The woman was about 85. I know she was upset because she was trying to convince her two sons to take the dog, and they said they didn’t want her.”
And Diamond’s humans weren’t the only ones who were sad. Diamond was none too pleased to be a new shelter dog.
“When she first came in, she was very nervous, and she didn’t warm up to anyone very quickly,” Fogarty said. “She had a hard time in the kennel. She was barking a lot and jumping around her cage.”
So, the shelter volunteers did their best to help her adjust to shelter life and spent extra time trying to make her feel comfortable.
Eventually, Diamond got used to her new home, but she still seemed sad.
Unfortunately, while even pit bulls are usually adopted within six months, Diamond ended up becoming one of the shelter’s longest residents.
“I think it has to do with that when people walk through this environment, they get very overwhelmed and see a lot of dogs barking and in their faces,” Fogarty guessed. “With Diamond specifically, she’s a large girl. She’s about 70 to 80 pounds, and not many people are enticed to take an older dog.”
Still, the shelter isn’t about to give up on Diamond.
“[She needs] a family that is home pretty often because she is older, and she’s probably going to need a little bit more attention,” Fogarty said. “And a backyard that she can just run around in, and then just come inside and lay down. She does want to run around a little bit … and she still likes to play with toys. It’s very funny when she does all of her commands. She gives her paw, she sits, she stays, she rolls around. So for being her age, she’s like the total package.”
If you live in New York and would like to give Diamond a forever home you can reach out to the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter here.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
