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02nd Nov 2015

This Heartbreaking Snap Of A Dog Returned To A Shelter Is Exactly Why You Should Think Before You Adopt

Lana was too sad to leave her bed after she was returned by a family.

Her

For anyone who has had a family dog, you’ll know they’re as much a part of your DNA as your mum and dad, brother or sister.

Unfortunately not all dogs are treated with love and care, and some are left to fend for themselves when it comes to their early puppy stages.

For those who end up in shelters, it’s usually a long process of finding a suitable home, but the decision is one that should be taken into real consideration before making that commitment.

This week a heartbreaking snap of a dog Lana has gone viral – after she was returned to an animal rescue centre by her adoptive family.

Dog Returned To Shelter Is Too Sad To Go On Walks Sometimes, everything just breaks. This photo was taken moments after Lana's family returned her to a boarding kennel - a place that she knew all too well. Hunched over, her face pressed against the wall, Lana is a portrait of rejection. She arrived in Toronto, Canada, when she was very young, the runt of a very large litter in Mexico. "Lana was terrified of everything," Dahlia Ayoub of Mighty Mutts tells The Dodo. "She was literally the size of my hand." Lana was kept in a foster program, which had her spending short stints with families until she could be placed somewhere permanently. There were no issues, Ayoub says. Eventually, when Lana was five-and-a-half months old, a family stepped forward to give her a real home. And then those guarding issues - from when she was a puppy and had to compete with siblings for food - suddenly surfaced. "She snapped at the mom," Ayoub explains. "And they decided because they have kids in the house to bring her back to boarding." Ayoub describes Lana as "silly, sweet." She's great with other animals, and the above incident was the only time her guarding instinct surfaced. Yet, Lana was returned to the kennel. "She just shut down," Ayoub says. "It's almost like her world shut down." For a whole day, Lana was unresponsive. Not even the shelter volunteer who walked Lana could move her. But for dogs especially, hope has a way of springing back again. Ayoub, her lifelong friend, visited Lana the next day. "I wanted to see if she would be scared of me. I went back there and said, 'Laaaaana! Hey, what's up?'" Lana flew into her arms so fast to bury her with kisses, she knocked her over. Mighty Mutts Lana will still need a forever home. But today, she urgently needs foster care. And because she can only be adopted in Ontario, her options are limited. "I know there's a family for her out there," Ayoub says. Lana is currently in the care of Rescue Dogs Match. If you're interested in fostering her or another dog, click here. You can also help by making a donation here.

The dog – who had been the runt of a large litter in Mexico – was ‘terrified of everything’.

While she was initially adopted as a puppy by a family, she was later returned after the family felt they couldn’t meet her needs and they had to put their young children first.

While it’s totally understandable to protect your family, the shelter told of the heartache Lana felt in being returned by her family back to the shelter.

Speaking to The Dodo, Mighty Mutts employee Dahlia Ayoub said: “She just shut down. It’s almost like her world shut down.”

Lana wouldn’t eat for the shelter, and staff commented how she was too sad to even go out for a walk.

Dahlia, who nursed Lana when she was a puppy added:

“I wanted to see if she would be scared of me. I went back there and said, “Laaaaana! Hey, what’s up?”‘

She said the ‘silly, sweet’ dog flew into her arms.

While Lana has thankfully since been fostered, Mighty Mutts are now looking to place her in a permanent home in an adult-only household.

We would like to thank everyone who has offered support to help Lana find her furever home! We are happy to announce…

Posted by Mighty Mutts on Friday, October 30, 2015

Although it’s incredible to decide to adopt a dog from your local shelter, be sure to talk through the dog’s needs and any concerns you have that might affect the settling in period at home before making a final commitment.

If you’d like more information on adopting a dog in Ireland, visit The Dog’s Trust here.