Shyla arrived at Humane Society of Naples in 2020 after she was found wandering the streets alone. She was incredibly nervous around new people and needed lots of time to warm up and get comfortable. Still, her rescuers hoped she’d find her home soon.
Unfortunately, that never happened, and Shyla has now been waiting for her forever family for over 1,500 days.
Once Shyla gets used to someone, she’s high-energy, playful and even a little goofy — but all those years in the shelter have definitely taken their toll on her.
“Her character is still the same, but you can tell the shelter has made an impact,” Patrizia Vila, events and outreach coordinator at Humane Society of Naples, told The Dodo. “She usually sleeps in the morning and doesn’t react at all to staff arriving. The best times for her are when we wake her up, play with her out in the yard or go on a run to get a pup cup with her. There is a sadness in her eyes, even on her good days, as she cannot spend more time with the people she loves.”
Shyla’s friends at the shelter have done everything they can to try and find her a home, but her hesitation around new people makes it tricky.
“Shyla might need a few encounters to get close to someone, and most people aren’t ready to commit to several meetings with a dog to take [them] home,” Vila said.
Shyla’s rescuers are constantly trying to make sure her life in the shelter is as comfortable as possible, but what she really needs is a home of her own. Shyla can live with another dog but would prefer a home with no young children. She’ll definitely need a family who can be patient with her as she gets used to them. Otherwise, all she wants is love.
“Watching movies with her on the couch or bed and falling asleep with her is her dream,” Vila said.