An animal shelter volunteer has brought people to tears by sharing a devastating video revealing exactly what this rescue dog has seen from her kennel for the entire 1,176 days she’s been waiting to get adopted.
Kylie, who is part boxer, German shepherd, husky, and bulldog, was brought to the Benton Franklin Humane Society (BFHS) in Kennewick, Washington, on December 14, 2021. She immediately became a favorite among staff, including volunteer Julie Saraceno, who told Newsweek that “Kylie is amazing,” and she doesn’t understand why she hasn’t found her forever home.
Prior to arriving at the BFHS, Kylie was surrendered to a shelter in Spokane because of complications from a difficult pregnancy, which her owners couldn’t afford to pay for. Although her puppies were born healthy, Kylie suffered a prolapse, and Saraceno explained that she requires “a special diet to ensure she doesn’t suffer another prolapse.”
@jsaraceno / Benton Franklin Humane Society
Kylie spent about a year in she Spokane shelter before joining the BFHS, so she’s endured more than three years of shelter life in total.
“Kylie’s my favorite shelter dog and she’s so amazing with staff because she absolutely adores people. However, she doesn’t like other dogs and cats, so she needs to go to a home without other pets. I think because of that, she struggles to find a home. She hasn’t had any fosters, so she’s had no break from shelter life at all,” Saraceno said.
Kylie’s story is not unique, as there are countless pets across the United States awaiting adoption. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 3.1 million dogs enter shelters every year in the US, which highlights the importance of adoption and providing loving homes for the many animals in need.
How Did Social Media React?
Despite her challenging past, Kylie always remains affectionate and loving towards people, and Saraceno is determined to help her find a loving family. On March 5, she shared a video (@jsaraceno) of the rescue pup who has been waiting “for far too long,” and who deserves so much better. The clip went viral with over 172,000 views and 15,300 likes on Instagram, but Saraceno said they still “haven’t had any applications” sadly.
“I think she just needs to be in a home where she can have all the attention and love, and someone who will make sure to play a lot of fetch, and she loves to play games together,” Saraceno told Newsweek.
Saraceno, from Pasco, Washington, even expressed her own desire to give Kylie a forever home if she could, but unfortunately it wouldn’t be feasible. “If I didn’t have two dogs of my own, I would absolutely take Kylie home. She’s the best,” she said.
@jsaraceno / Benton Franklin Humane Society
Despite the long wait, Saraceno remains hopeful that Kylie’s journey will lead to her adoption soon, and she’ll finally be able to thrive away from shelter life.
The viral Instagram post may not have led to any adoption requests yet, but Kylie has certainly captured the hearts of many online. The post has already gained more than 620 comments from adoring social media users who hope that Kylie’s big day will come.
One comment reads: “She’s been there so long. Maybe she doesn’t have to be an only dog anymore!”
Another person responded: “What a doll, I can’t believe she hasn’t been snapped up. Thank you for telling her story.”
While another Instagram user wrote: “Poor Kylie. I keep hoping she will find her people!! I know they are out there.”
Do you have any pet rescue stories that you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.