Tessy has plenty of reasons to wag her tail these days.
The black dog, with some gray around his muzzle, arrived at Humane Animal Partners (formerly Delaware Humane Association and Delaware SPCA) on January 17, 2021, hoping to find a home soon.
Unfortunately, Tessy’s perfect match did not come easily. Weeks, months and years passed, and the dog still couldn’t find a forever home that suited her.
“Tessy is loyal, goofy, cuddly and incredibly smart,” Leigh McKinley, director of Humane Animal Partners, tells PEOPLE, adding that the pooch “has unwavering love to give” to those she trusts.
Unfortunately, Tessy had trouble trusting new people and experiences, and these behaviors were part of what led to her extended stay at Humane Animal Partners.
“Tessy displayed fear-responsive behavior in the form of lashing out, barking and growling at unfamiliar stimuli. Our goal was to help her overcome these fears and learn to trust people and her environment, essentially changing her emotional response from negative to positive.” , says McKinley.
Tessy the dog.
Humane Partners for Animals
The shelter helped Tessy conquer her fears with a behavior modification plan that consisted of “positive reinforcement training techniques,” patience and time.
“Changing unintentional physiological behavior requires commitment and consistency to be successful, and although we were determined to see it through, the nature of being in a shelter, with different staff members working with her every day and at different times, meant that change would take time.” , McKinley explains.
“We also had to make sure that her adoptive parents were right for her. We had a very thoughtful and careful approach to meeting people and it took time for her to find the right family,” adds the director.
While Tessy was undergoing training and working to find her ideal forever home, she also enjoyed regular walks, play, belly rubs and toys at the shelter.
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Then, after months of dedicated work by Tessa and Humane Animal Partners – and after 1,007 days of waiting – the dog found his forever family.
The couple, who adopted the pup in October, met with Tessy several times to build trust with the dog and fell in love with the pet during those visits. And Tessy quickly became delighted with her new owners.
“When her adoptive parents, Jeanine and Jeff, first met her, we all tried to stay calm about it, not getting our hopes up too much. However, after their third meeting, we could tell that Tessy had already established a level of trust that we had never experienced before. seen so quickly,” says McKinley.
The parents of Tessy’s pet adopted her shortly after the third meeting, and the shelter gave the dog an emotional send-off.
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Dog Tessy with her new pet parents.
Humane Partners for Animals
“It was a roller coaster of emotions leading up to adoption day, everything from celebration to disbelief to sadness, excitement, a little anxiety and everything in between. Mostly, though, we felt proud. Proud of her, proud of everyone who helped her come to this point and I’m proud of the results,” McKinely says of Tessy’s adoption.
Since moving to her new home, Tessy has begun to adjust to life outside the shelter, a process of adaptation that everyone gradually goes through.
“While we knew she would be fine, we are also quite aware that going from three years in a shelter to a loving home is a big adjustment and will take some time for her to fully adjust. We tried to instill in her adopters to be confident and patient, but we never not to be complacent,” says McKinely.
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The filmmaker hopes that those who learn about Tessy’s adoption story — and the more than 1,000 days spent at the shelter that got her there — will be inspired to help save pets and give them the benefit of the doubt.
“It’s important to remember that not every visit to an animal shelter starts with ‘love at first sight.’ Many of the animals most deserving of adoption have experienced trauma and neglect and are anxious in the shelter environment. These animals require extra patience, understanding and love to find the right combination. “Keep an open mind (and an open heart!) when meeting adoptable animals,” says McKinley.
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For animal lovers who can’t currently adopt, McKinely suggests volunteering or donating to a local animal shelter.
“Many shelters rely heavily on the community to help save lives and require monetary donations to fund basic operational needs, in addition to daily donations for animal care such as dog food, cat food, enrichment supplies, soft blankets, toys, etc. Many shelters need volunteers and foster carers who play a key role in the day-to-day work of the shelter,” says the director.
To learn more about Humane Animal Partners and support the rescue, visit humaneanimalpartners.org.
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Source: HIS Education