Carlie came to the shelter as a little puppy girl.
Her previous life was not easy and the unfamiliar surroundings now present her with completely new challenges.
It’s all too much for Carlie, she withdraws more and more and thus deprives herself of the chance to be noticed by adoptive parents.
But then the staff at the shelter have a brilliant idea.
A difficult start in life
Carlie’s young life begins as a street dog on the Cayman Islands.
But she is rescued from the streets and ends up at an animal shelter called the Humane Society of Broward County.
The animal caretakers on site quickly realize that Carlie has not had a good experience in her life so far.
On top of all her bad memories, she now has to live in an overcrowded and cramped shelter.
The dog becomes invisible
Carlie feels completely overwhelmed. As a result, she withdraws further and further into her kennel.
Over time, the young dog gets better and better at hiding.
Susan Leonti, the animal shelter’s digital marketing expert, reports:
„Out of fear, she hid in the far corner of her kennel where people walking by couldn’t see her. She hid so well that she became known as the invisible dog.“
Helping measures
The animal caretakers can’t stand by and watch this for long. They know: It’s especially important for such a traumatized and shy dog to find a loving family.
Leonti said:
„When we realized that she was avoiding people and being overlooked as a result, we immediately moved her to the kennel that was most accessible.“
Carlie’s interaction with visitors is indeed improving. But she still can’t find a family willing to adopt her.
The saving idea
Finally, the keepers resort to a last, desperate resort. They write Carlie’s story on a piece of paper and post it on her kennel.
The story is worded like a letter, a letter in Carlie’s own words:
„I’ve been here longer than any other dog. You wouldn’t know that because I’m hiding in the back corner of my kennel. I am slowly becoming more trusting after months of being hand fed and experiencing love and patience. I love women, but it takes me a little longer to become trusting with men. Memories from the past haunt me. I need peace and quiet, a loving home. Is that what you are for me?“
The letter and a video published on TikTok quickly make an impact. A woman drives a whole two hours to be able to adopt Carlie.
Watch Carlie’s touching story in the video:
Source: The Dodo
