Sad Shelter Pup Got a Day Out and Couldn’t Stop Smiling – Then Something Awesome Happened

Shelters are incredibly lonely places for dogs. While animals are definitely safer in shelters than they would be chained to a house, wandering the streets, or growing up in feral communities, there’s no doubt that listlessness is all but inevitable for a dog in the shelter. Usually, these dogs have to sleep on cold kennel floors, are overlooked time and time again by prospective adopters, and have limited social interaction. Sadly, this is the reality for millions of homeless animals in the U.S. Thankfully, many of these shelter facilities go above and beyond to make the pups in their possession feel as comfortable and loved as possible. Whether this means giving them a fluffy bed to rest their head, some toys for stimulation, or simply making time to cuddle, these kind little acts can completely transform a dog’s spirit.

Take Elmo, the Pit Bull, for instance. Found by Animal Control in a yard with another dog, he was taken to KC Pet Project in Kansas City. Elmo was understandably terrified and depressed. The dog he had been found with had gotten adopted and so Elmo truly was all alone in the world.

You can just see the anxiety in this poor Pittie’s eyes. Seeing how scared he was, shelter workers decided to arrange a trip outdoors for Elmo to get some much-needed fresh air and sun. 

It’s amazing what a little grass can do for a puppy’s spirits – just look at that smile! 

The sweet pup got to walk around, engage with passersby, visit some kind folks at the hair salon, and just relish in being outside of the confines of the shelter. 

The best part about this whole “furlough” outing? A sweet couple heard about it and decided to drive five hours and meet Elmo. They instantly fell in love.

In fact, they decided to give Elmo a forever home!

Looks like many more days of smiles and playing outside is in store for this cutie. Yay, Elmo!

Elmo is an extremely lucky dog. Dogs in shelters, especially Pit Bulls who are often wrongly perceived as violent and aggressive, have a difficult time getting adopted. In fact, around 93 percent of Pit Bulls are euthanized because they aren’t adopted in time. The fact that Elmo was able to entice a couple that lived five hours away thanks to the work of the kind shelter staff is truly amazing. We’re so glad that he’s finally getting the forever home he deserves. Elmo is a testament to the incredible impact a person can have on a dog’s life when they choose to adopt and not shop.

All image source: Pawmygosh