Husky Named Ace Goes Through Devastating Transformation After 430 Days in Shelter

 Ace the Husky arrived at Sonoma County Animal Services playful and full of hope. Brought in as a stray, the shelter was able to contact his former humans since Ace was microchipped. Sadly, they chose to surrender the handsome and friendly Husky. Over a year later, Ace is still in search of his forever home. A TikTok video posted to the shelter’s account shows his heartbreaking change over this period. 

@socoanimals

Ace is still here! He is beyond ready to find his person. Ave loves swimming, talking, and treats. He is super smart and very Husky. He is a total goober that is a huge sweetheart. Ib: @AnimalHouseShelterHuntley #shelterdog #husky #huskytok #shelter #animals #dogs #adopt #rescuedog #animalshelter

♬ This sound took less than 5 minutes to make – Lucas Evergreen

The shelter environment can be extremely rough for many dogs. Confined to small cages, in a loud environment, and without a family to call their own, many dogs are overlooked. Indeed, a 2014 study showed that most shelter visitors will only ask to visit with one dog while they are there. These visits last an average of eight minutes according to the study. This single, brief interaction can determine whether or not the dog will be adopted. The two things that most influence whether a dog will be adopted during this visit are if they respond when the human tries to play with them, and whether they lay close to the person. Unfortunately, this can lead to even longer stays for many animals who are experiencing stress from the shelter.

When Ace originally arrived at the shelter, he can be seen excitedly catching treats with his tail wagging. However, the handsome Husky is almost unrecognizable at the end of the video. The once bubbly pup can be seen lying dejectedly on the floor of his kennel, staring sadly through the divider. Ace has been at the shelter for over 430 days without being adopted. 

According to Ace’s adoption profile, the Husky “loves people, and getting pets.” The shelter recommends an adults-only home that has prior experience with Huskies as Ace (like many Huskies), “has a hard time staying in his own yard, and loves to explore.” Although the shelter has yet to find a forever home for Ace, they know the perfect family is out there somewhere!

Heartbreakingly, Ace is not the only dog facing a long shelter stay. Shelters across the United States are seeing an increase in both stray intakes and owner surrenders. This, combined with lower levels of adoptions, means that many shelters are filled. Higher cost of living, lack of affordable pet-friendly housing, and high veterinary costs are all helping to drive the uptick of animals in shelters. Sadly, long stays like Ace’s are not uncommon. Shelters need donations, volunteers, and fosters more than ever. All of these can help make it more likely that shelter dogs will be adopted by reducing stress and increasing socialization and training. 

We encourage everyone thinking of getting a pet to adopt instead of shopping. Read more resources about adopting animals on One Green Planet, including 7 Reasons to Adopt Your Next Furry Best Friend, 5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Adopt a Pet, and These Heartwarming Before and After Pictures of Adopted Rescue Animals Will Make Your Day! Read tips for pet adoptions and what to consider before adopting an animal. We recommend using these apps to find shelter dogs near you!

Best Things In Life Are Rescued Tee By Tiny Rescue: Animal Collection

Related Content: 

• Senior Shelter Dog Has Been Waiting More than 600 Days to Find a Home
• Resilient Three-Legged Dog Radiates Joy Despite 1,000 Days in Shelter
• #AdoptDontShop! Shelter Dog Adopted After 866 Days
• Dog Finally Finds Forever Home After 848 Days in Shelter
• Barney Lived in a Shelter from the Time He Was Born Until Age 9

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!