Shelter’s ‘most shut down dog’ cowered in the corner for years — then everything changed
In April 2024, a dog named Tuna arrived at an animal shelter in rural North Carolina. She wasn’t happy about it — and with good reason. Tuna’s body was also riddled with BB pellets and full of milk, though rescuers never found any puppies in the area where they picked her up.
Life hadn’t been kind to Tuna, and staff at Carolina Animal Rescue and Adoption (CARA), where she ended up, knew she needed extra love.
“She would not allow us to approach her without trying to bite or lunging at us,” Estela Ruiz, shelter manager at CARA, told The Dodo. “She was scared out of her mind, just facing the wall in the kennel all day.”
Vets estimated Tuna to be about 8 years old. Her teeth were severely worn down, and there was evidence she’d given birth to many litters.
Staff began the long, patient process of earning Tuna’s trust.
About a week after Tuna arrived, CARA employee Sonja Lowry noticed a coworker sitting in Tuna’s kennel, tossing treats to her. Lowry joined in.
“We eventually shortened the distance between us, making her come closer for treats,” Lowry told The Dodo, “but we were still not able to pet her or leash her.”
They tried using a fake human hand to pet Tuna, but she wasn’t into it. In a Facebook post, Lowry said Tuna was “the most shut down dog” she’d ever seen.
Then, several months into her stay, a twist of fate led to a Tuna breakthrough.
Tuna developed intestinal issues and needed to be sedated for a full vet exam and radiographs. She had to wear a muzzle for everyone’s safety during this process.
“When [I] finally muzzled her and had to sit for the sedation to kick in,” Ruiz said, “[Tuna] was finally able to receive real pets and belly rubs safely. We think this really allowed her to open up and accept the love we had always wanted to show her.”
After this experience, Tuna warmed dramatically to a few of her regular caregivers — especially Lowry.
“After that day, we were able to slowly work on leashing and walking her,” Lowry said. “It took some time, but we were finally able to give her chin scratches, and eventually we were able to give her full-on belly rubs.”
Ruiz said Lowry and Tuna spent more one-on-one time together, building a strong bond over the course of many months.
Tuna began greeting Lowry each morning through her kennel window, tail wagging, with a stuffie in her mouth. The dog started taking stuffies on walks, which she loved as much as Lowry loved seeing Tuna enjoy toys for the first time.
“As her personality began to show, we could see that she was such a silly girl,” Lowry said. “She would flop in the grass, and roll across the yard, getting as dirty as possible on every walk.”
One day, Lowry heard that an adoption application had come in for Tuna. Initially wary, she softened over the next few months, watching the potential adopter, Morgan Katz, drive over an hour many times to visit Tuna.
“It took about three visits to CARA for her to let me pet her,” Katz told The Dodo. But Katz kept coming back. “I couldn’t take my mind off her,” she said.
“Seeing how much she loved Tuna, and how she was willing to be patient and win her trust, was so good for my heart,” Lowry said of Katz.
After a successful foster-to-adopt stay at Katz’s house this past February, she knew Tuna was a keeper. Earlier this month, almost exactly two years since Tuna’s rescue, the dog left the shelter for good.
Now, Tuna lives with Katz in a safe, peaceful home, with a fenced-in yard and a dog bed right in the living room. Lowry has visited several times, and Tuna is settling in nicely.
“I just did everything on her terms,” Katz said. “She has acclimated so well. She is so excited to see me when I come home and stares me down when I have to leave. I think she knows it’s her house now.”
Lowry couldn’t be happier for her favorite shelter pal.
“I want everyone to know that love CAN change the life of a dog,” Lowry said. “Tuna had no reason at all to ever open up to humans and trust us. She had lived through horrors that no one will ever fully know. Even so, love and patience made all of the difference.”
