Like most people, I like a story with a happy ending, but this story might not have ended that way.
The Humane Society of Broward County in Florida had a two-year-old dog, a Rottweiler named Nyla, that had been surrendered to the shelter by its owner. Nyla had been used as a breeding dog, producing litters of puppies for her owner to sell – but the owner had too many dogs and decided take Nyla to the shelter.
The shelter staff fell in love with Nyla – she was playful, sweet natured, and loved to snuggle on a blanket. But very few potential adopters showed much interest in her.
A 10-year-old study found that most visitors to a shelter notice and engage with maybe one or two dogs for brief periods of less than ten minutes. So the staff, knowing she was a great dog and wanting to get Nyla some attention, decided to feature her in a video on social media in hopes they might find her a home.
About three hundred miles away, a family saw the video of Nyla. They had had two Rottweilers, Soldier and Benjamin – but Benjamin (also a rescue dog) developed cancer and died. Soldier missed his buddy; he became sad and depressed, so the family looked for a new companion for him – but it was difficult to find one that got along with their beloved Soldier. Then – they saw the video of Nyla.
One phone call to the shelter to find out about Nyla’s personality prompted them to make the long journey to see (and then adopt) her. Now Nyla not only has a new forever home, she has a buddy in Soldier. For his part, Soldier has a new best friend. The family says they are two happy dogs who share everything - their beds, their toys - and they love to play together.
So what best friend might be waiting for you at a shelter? Nyla’s new family will testify that finding the right pet can make your life better, not to mention what it might do for your new furry friend who may be waiting just for you when you’re speaking of pets.
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