Stevie is a Beagle mix that spent the first eight years of his life chained outside their home. His owners lived in a trailer park in South Carolina and never treated him as a family member. He was just there to act as their guard dog.
During those eight terrible years, Stevie had no interaction, whether it was humans or animals. The poor pup also didn’t receive any medical attention. When rescuers finally took him to a clinic, the vets learned he was in terrible condition.
Lack of social skills
Stevie was very malnourished, and he had a severe case of heartworm. He also lost all his teeth. With the help of the kind staff and volunteers of the local shelter, the neglected dog gained a lot of weight, and his treatment has removed most of the heartworms. The only problem left was his social skills.
Because he lacked experience in having playmates, Stevie did not get along well with the other shelter dogs. It also made it difficult for him to get adopted. Most adopters already had pets, and he required a home where he would be the sole animal. The Beagle mix also required a special diet because he has no teeth.
Alone in the shelter
Stevie has spent most of his time alone in the shelter for the past three years. He couldn’t be let out with the other dogs to play. His only interaction came when the volunteers would take him out for a walk. The staff said he is a very sweet dog, and it pains them to see him spending his twilight years without a family.
The friendly staff at the South Carolina shelter are doing everything they can to give him exposure and find those special humans with the right situation to accommodate him. Hopefully, his life as a shelter dog soon changes, and he will become a part of a loving family.
Source: DarlingtonCountyhs Rescue via Facebook