Maddie is a sweet girl with a sad, sad story.

Maddie, a 3-year-old Retriever mix at the BGWCHS, has been a stray for most of her life. No one is really sure where she came from, but for years she wandered around on her own, relying on the goodwill of random people who saw her and gave her food or water to survive. Although her optimistic, trusting disposition suggests that most people were nice to her, no one was able to give her a permanent home. During her time as a stray, she became very emaciated and covered with fleas, and based on her physical condition she gave birth to multiple litters of puppies, none of whom could be found. And to top it all off, after a physical inspection by shelter workers, she was also found to be heartworm positive.

Maddie was finally brought to the Humane Society when a nice family took her in temporarily, but realized that no one was coming for her and that they couldn’t keep her forever. They said that in the short amount of time they did get to spend with her, that she proved to be a wonderful pet and friend. She is very intelligent, so she caught on easily to crate training and leash walking. Although she is just a touch frightened of new people, as soon as she knows she can trust someone, she just wants to play and cuddle and go for a walk. She has a very outgoing and energetic personality, but without being overbearing. If her new friend is not able to keep up with her energy, she is perfectly satisfied to sit and be petted. To her, the most important thing is that she makes her people happy.

Unfortunately for Maddie, although she has such a wonderful personality and makes such a loyal friend, she is at a disadvantage in terms of getting adopted. Black dogs are statistically shown to be much less likely to get adopted than other colored dogs, probably because they’re “less cute.” Add to that all her health problems and difficult past, and the odds don’t look too good for Maddie.

However, the Bowling Green animal lover community is very active and aware. By spreading the word about Maddie and her story, we can give her a good chance of finding a home. Please share Maddie’s story through social media, or consider adopting, fostering, or sponsoring her through her Petfinder page.

Presley is a 5-year-old Beagle mix at the BGWCHS. Although she is a little nervous, she’s just adjusting to her surroundings. Inside, she is a very gentle and affectionate dog. She likes to take things slow and to smell the roses (and the bushes and the trees and just about everything else), but she also seems to enjoy just walking around outside. She also likes sitting in a person’s lap and being pet, but she is unsure and slightly suspicious about new people. Just give her a little bit of time to get to know you, and she will gladly be your best friend, though!

Presley is a popular dog at the Humane Society, but she’s still looking for a home! If you’d like to adopt, foster, sponsor, or even just look at cute pictures of Presley, check out her Petfinder page or call the Humane Society at 270-783-9404!

Jedidiah is a 10+ year old Shiba Inu-Shepherd mix at the BGWCHS. Like many senior dogs, he was surrendered to the shelter because his family could no longer care for him. He is clearly depressed by this, and appears quite disconcerted by his new surroundings. Although he is friendly and enjoys going on walks with volunteers, he hides in the corner of his cage hesitantly when people walk by and retreats when other dogs come to compete for attention. He seems to much prefer individual attention and long, slow walks on the leash. He especially likes to follow the perimeter of the shelter grounds, sniffing everything on his way.

In addition to his shyness and laid-back attitude, Jed also has some arthritis in his hips, so he needs to take things slow and would probably be best in a home with an older person or a family without children. He is a sweet dog who doesn’t ask for much, but will give a lot of love to his new family.

If you’d like to learn more about Jedidiah, visit his Petfinder page or call the BGWC Humane Society at 270-783-9404.

Odie is an 18 month old Chihuahua at the BGWCHS.

Odie is a bit shy at first, although he will approach the door to his kennel when people approach. However, it seems like he’s just a little wary of people and is still learning whether he can trust people or not. When he feels secure with someone, he will form an attachment and be very loyal to that person. I walked Odie with my brother and my dad this weekend, and at first he was suspicious of us and tried to hide. But after I sat with him and pet him for just a few minutes, he really opened up and kept trying to hop in my lap and be pet again. Even when he wanted to chase another dog or go sniff something, he decided he liked being hugged better and stayed in my lap.

Odie is a very, very sweet guy who doesn’t bite, bark, or even pull at his leash. He will make a very devoted and loyal pet for anyone who opens up their home to him. If you want to learn even more about Odie or to help him out, check out Odie’s Petfinder page here.

Domino is an energetic puppy who’s looking for a new best buddy.

Only two years old, Domino is a rare American Eskimo Dog at the BGWCHS. He was surrendered to the shelter because he didn’t get along with the other dogs in his former home. Indeed, he doesn’t seem to like sharing attention or living space with other dogs in general, so being at the shelter is very hard for him. Not only is he scared of all the noise and unfamiliar dogs, but it breaks his heart to see people walk past him and not play with him.

When I walked Domino last weekend, he was so scared that it took about five minutes of coaxing to get him out of his cage, and even then he was still very wary. He didn’t smile or want to play, but rather kept his distance and sniffed at the perimeter of the Humane Society compound indifferently. When I returned this weekend and walked him again, however, he was radically different. He jumped up and down and wagged his tail when I went to put the leash on him, and he smiled during the entire walk. He also wanted to meet other dogs and play with people we passed.

Stories like Domino’s are what make volunteering at the Humane Society so meaningful. I have watched many dogs arrive at the shelter shy and afraid, then leave less than a month later as the most cheerful and extroverted dogs I’ve ever seen. Now that Domino has learned to open up and trust people again, he has a new outlook on life and is ready to go off to a happy, loving home with a new family!

Domino is still looking for a kind family to welcome him into their home. If you would like to adopt him, or just learn more about him, visit his Petfinder page.

Tania is a big girl on the outside, but on the inside, she’s a big baby.

Tania is a Shar Pei mix at the BGWCHS. She is a staff favorite, and for good reason. Although she is a very big dog and is very strong, all she wants to do is be cuddled and played with. When I walked her this weekend, she immediately wanted to run around and sniff everything. As soon as I sat down on the ground with her, she crawled into my lap and wanted to be hugged. Even then, she was still playful and wanted to chew on sticks and leaves she found on the ground–that is, until she saw that my braided hair looked a lot like a rope toy.

However, Tania is not all energy. After about 15 minutes, she was content from playing and nearly fell asleep while sitting on my lap, all the while oblivious to the fact that she may be a bit too big to be a lap dog. So despite her size and strength, she actually seems to make a good house pet. All she needs is about a half hour of attention and exercise every day and then she is satisfied just to sit back and relax with her owners.

Hugo is, one might say, a bit on the large side.

He is a 6-year-old English Mastiff mix at the BGWCHS and he weighs in at about 150 pounds, but he is all heart. Complete with a flowery collar and a pink leash to match, he is a gentle soul who loves nothing more than to be pampered and loved on.

Many people see how big Hugo is and automatically worry that he is dangerous or hostile, but in reality he is probably more scared of anyone than they are of him, since he is a bit shy with strange people, though he warms up quickly. When meeting other dogs, on the other hand, he is not afraid at all. He is certainly a social dog and he loves to play with smaller dogs, although they might not be so confident when first meeting him. He also loves children and knows that he needs to be gentle with them.

Although he is so popular at the shelter, Hugo is still looking for a home. He is, not surprisingly, an indoor dog. He isn’t very active, partly because he is older, and loves to just lay around with his humans and be petted. It doesn’t take long to fall in love with this gentle giant, so please check out Hugo at his Petfinder page here.