Shelter Dog, Twice Adopted And Returned, to Mark 600 Days Without A Home

A senior dog is coming up on 600 days at the shelter after twice being adopted and then returned. Auggie, seven, was first brought to the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh, New York, in June 2023. He was underweight, nervous and lacking socialization. No one knew what his earlier life had been like, as he was left in a crate at a police department. The hustle and bustle of an animal shelter can be intimidating for a new arrival. In 2006, a study published in the journal Physiology and Behavior found dogs entering the shelter system had around three times the level of cortisol, a stress hormone, in their system during their first three days there than dogs in a normal residential setting. Auggie was given time to decompress and, through being taken on slow walks and gradually introduced to the world around him, began to understand that people could be friendly and that he was safe. Soon, the Auggie that everyone at the shelter now knows and loves began to come out. “He loves to play in the yard with various toys and loves hanging out with his consistent walkers,” Brian Devine, Director of Communications Town of Hempstead, told Newsweek. “He is very comfortable with the people he knows and enjoys going out with them, playing with toys and relaxing outside.” But while Auggie became comfortable with the familiar surroundings of the shelter, this has not been the case when it comes to the outside world. Twice Auggie has waved goodbye to the shelter, adopted to what was assumed would be his forever home, yet twice he has been returned over “guarding issues.” A common issue, resource guarding is something dogs often do if they perceive there to be a threat to something they value, such as food, toys or a bed. There have even been cases of dogs resource guarding humans. It can present as standing rigid, staring down or even teeth-baring and growling in some dogs. Although it’s something beyond their control and is often caused by anxiety, the concern is that, without effective intervention, these behaviors can escalate into something more aggressive, such as biting. Many dogs would have shut down in the face of the kind of rejection Auggie has experienced, but Devine said he has been OK at the shelter. “He’s very accustomed to his routine and does well with the structure of the shelter routine,” Devine said. Auggie hasn’t let being back in the shelter get him down. He has become less trusting of new people though. Auggie hasn’t let being back in the shelter get him down. He has become less trusting of new people though. The Invisible 8 of TOHAS/Town of Hempstead Staff still want to see Auggie get a happy ending. Auggie’s story found its way to the Instagram channel the.invisible. 8, set up to shine a light on eight adoptable dogs at the Town of Hempstead Shelter waiting too long to find a forever home. Their video warned that while Auggie “isn’t as shut down as he once was,” he is “hesitant to want to trust again.” He is capable of walking on a leash and is in need of a calm environment, leading Devine to stress that Auggie doesn’t just need a forever home, he needs “the perfect home.” “An adult home that understands he needs training and management of his guarding and will keep him in a structured house with a consistent routine,” he added. If anyone thinks they can provide that, Auggie and everyone at his shelter would love to hear from them.