Dog Dumped by Owner Spends 16 Months in Shelter Without Adoption Interest

There's been an outpouring of support online for a dog who has spent 16 months in the shelter without receiving a single adoption application.

The plight of Ted, a beautiful 2-year-old Akita-Rottweiler mix, was brought to the attention of the world by Andy Cullen, the founder of Husky Rescue Ireland, a nonprofit in County Laois in Ireland dedicated to the rescues and rehoming of huskies and Akitas.

"We save all huskies and Akitas in the whole of Ireland," Cullen told Newsweek. "If a husky or Akita ends up in a dog pound I take them out and bring them here for rehabilitation and rehoming. I neuter, vaccinate and microchip before rehoming. We are the only rescue in Ireland to take huskies and Akitas out of the pounds."

In a video posted to TikTok last week under the username @the_realdogfather, Cullen shone a light on Ted's heartbreaking story, which is still a long way off from reaching a happy conclusion.

"Ted ended up in the pound when he was abandoned by his owner at 11 months old," Cullen said. "He came here shortly after and has been here for 16 months. We've not had one genuine offer from anyone, which is sad for him."

In the video, Ted can be seen happily approaching Cullen as he's fed treat-after-treat. However, his plight was keenly felt by animal lovers all over the world, with Cullen's clip of Ted going viral. At the time of writing, it's been viewed over 230,000 times.

"I would love to give him a home," one TikTok user wrote, with another commented: "Aw he's lovely, I hope he gets his forever home." A third user, meanwhile asked: "He's beautiful, why does nobody take him?"

Replying to the comment, Cullen theorized: "I'd say it's because he's big and boisterous." Whatever the case, viewers are right to be a little concerned for Ted's well-being, given the amount of time he has spent in the shelter already.

A 2012 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found animals in shelters were more likely to experience significant stress and that extended stays in these facilities also increased the risk of illness.

Thankfully, Cullen says that, so far, Ted remains a "happy" dog, who would make for a perfect pet in the right circumstances.

"He loves playing with chew toys, squeaks and teddies. He likes going for walks but gets nervous when tractors drive by, we are in the countryside," Cullen said. "He also loves his food."

Though Cullen is keen to stress there have never been any incidents involving Ted, given his size and energy, he thinks he would be best suited to a household where he is the only dog and any children are older.

Fulfill that criteria however and, after 16 months in a shelter, you could be the one to set Ted free.

"He listens to basic commands and he can be a pleasant dog to be around," Cullen added. "He really is quite a happy dog."

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