A dog who has spent over 600 days in an animal shelter, during which time he’s been adopted and returned twice, is losing hope of ever finding a forever home.
Cheeks, the 6-year-old mixed breed, has been in the care of McKamey Animal Shelter in Chattanooga, Tennessee since January 2022. “His prior owner could no longer take care of him,” Lauren Mann, director of advancement at the animal center, told Newsweek.
Cheeks is a popular fixture at the shelter, with Mann describing him as a “sweet and happy guy, who loves meeting new people.” Some shelter dogs struggle to catch the eye of visitors at the shelter, but Cheeks is not one of them. He’s suffered a more unique form of heartbreak though.
McKamey Animal Center
“He has been adopted and returned twice, due to no fault of his own,” Mann explained. She put his failure to find a new home down to his “picky personality with other dogs” and the fact he is a large size.
However, she also believes there are wider issues at play. “We are in the midst of a sheltering crisis nationwide, where people are sadly just not adopting as frequently as they used to,” Mann said.
There has certainly been a significant increase in the number of dogs arriving in shelters. According to a report from the Shelter Animals Count (SAC), a database tracking pet outcomes at American shelters, 7 percent more dogs arrived in U.S. shelters over the first three months of 2023 than during the same period the previous year. At the same time, 3.3 percent more dogs entered than left shelters, worsening the over-capacity crisis.
The failure to find a new home is beginning to have an impact on dogs like Cheeks, who has now been at the McKamey Animal Center for more than 600 days.
“Cheeks loves to explore, go on walks and also snuggle. He sits for treats, is mostly housebroken and enjoys a good belly rub,” Mann said. “He would make an amazing office dog, snuggle buddy, and loves his toys and bed.
“When you greet Cheeks in his adoption room he will often bring you a toy to play tug-of-war, and will politely lay on his bed waiting for scratches and snuggles. He’s a happy go lucky pup.”
McKamey Animal Center
But Mann is increasingly concerned that Cheeks is beginning to lose hope due to his situation and could develop what she calls “kennel depression.”
“Kennel depression happens when animals who are adoptable, are sitting and waiting much longer than they should,” she explained. “Cheeks used to pop up and greet you at the door to his kennel area right away, now he doesn’t always.
“He’s not excited when people walk by and is often found laying in his bed looking out the window just waiting for someone to adopt him. It’s been very sad to watch him be depressed like this.”
Anyone interested in adopting Cheeks must visit the shelter in person to meet him and be counseled. While there have been plenty of interested parties calling in, a face-to-face meeting is crucial. Out-of-state adopters are still welcome, of course, but they need to follow the process.
Mann believed Cheeks needs to be the only pet in whatever home he ends up in. Maybe a family with older kids who could put him through his paces, she said, and he would be fine left alone while they are at work or school.
Ultimately, as the shelter’s longest resident, he just wants a place to finally call home.
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