Footage of the moment a dog was dropped at a shelter, unaware of her fate, has broken hearts online.
With more than 5.5 million views, Kayla Winrow on TikTok shared the moment she saw a 4-year-old dog being surrendered at the Oklahoma OKC Animal Welfare shelter.
In the footage the dog is sitting calmly in the lobby of the shelter, ignorant to the potential outcome of her surrender. A text overlay read: “She doesn’t even know her owner is surrendering her to a high kill shelter that’s already over capacity and euthanizing dogs ‘for space’ every single day. She’s just happy she was able to go for a ride this morning.”
The video quickly resonated with viewers, many of whom expressed their outrage and sadness in the comments. “How can an owner do this to her? Look how nice and calm she is. OMG,” one user wrote. Another commented, “The way she’s just laying there being a good girl breaks my heart. How can people be so cruel!”
@salvage.souls/TikTok
“She wasn’t surrendered by her actual owner. Her owner abandoned her months ago at someone else’s home, and when they could no longer care for her, they had no choice but to turn her in to animal welfare services,” Winrow told Newsweek.
In 2023, 6.5 million animals entered U.S. shelters, according to Shelter Animals Count, up 4 percent when compared to 2022 intakes. At the end of 2023, 117,000 additional dogs and cats were in the animal sheltering system compared to the same time the year before.
Around 850,000 animals were euthanized in shelters in 2023, a rise of 15 percent when compared to 2022. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
For the dog in the video, her future looks much brighter. But Winrow urged people to think about the many other dogs stuck in shelters and in dire situations.
“Regarding the dog featured in the video, she now has many prospective adopters since going viral, and her next step will be adoption,” Winrow said.
“My overwhelming reaction to this situation stems from the heartbreaking reality that every day, dozens of animals are brought into shelters, and many may never make it out. This is not just about one dog; it’s a reflection of the countless others who face similar fates. I do this because I am deeply passionate about being part of the solution to this crisis and actively saving lives,” she explained.
As shelters continue to struggle with high intake and minimal space, many overcrowded shelters across the U.S. are being forced to turn to euthanasia.
While shelters are working to combat the alarming number of animals in shelters by promoting adoption campaigns and pushing spaying and neutering programs. Winrow said that the situation is still dire. “While this story is indeed touching, it’s crucial to remember that it’s not an isolated case. Approximately 20,000 animals are turned into this shelter every year, all abandoned in one way or another. It’s up to us to step in and be the change we wish to see,” she said.
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