Toro was discovered tied to a fence at an abandoned home in October and was sent to the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter for treatment. It was presumed by his rescuers that he had lived his whole life outside, and they expected that it would take him some time to acclimatize to his new surroundings.
His immediate reaction when he arrived was “frightening and shut down,” according to the doctor. Melissa Fogarty is the kennel and placement supervisor for the town.
Despite his concerns, it was clear that Toro had a great deal of love to give, which he exhibited by embracing his rescuers right away.
“When he first came in, I was probably one of the first people to take him out for a friendly stroll,” Fogarty recalls. “It was a great experience for me.” It took no more than 15 minutes after we let him out in our side play yard before the hugging began. He just crawled up to me, climbed into my lap, and rubbed his chest against mine… from there, things progressed, and now he hugs all of his friends in this building.”
Toro is grateful to be at a place where he feels safe and loved, even though the shelter continues to make him feel insecure about himself. Every opportunity he gets, he informs everyone of this.
In addition, “every time he comes out of the kennel, his first reaction is to welcome the person who is walking him as well as anybody else,” Fogarty said.
Toro was adopted in January, but he was returned to the shelter after just a week and a half because he did not fit in with his new home. He is still on the lookout for the perfect permanent home, where he can show his affection for his family by embracing them on a daily basis, like he did in the past.
In order to continue his training, Toro is looking for an adult-only home with a family that will offer him with lots of structure and support him in his endeavors. The dog will need crate training and basic housekeeping instruction, but he will be happiest as the only pet in his new home if he is allowed to be the only pet.
Having waited more than a year for his perfect partner, Toro is more than ready to meet his match, and his rescuers are perplexed as to why such a lovely dog who has been through so much is still on the hunt for his forever home.
According to Fogarty, the reason he hasn’t been adopted is because he is a middle-aged pit mix who is housed in a municipal shelter with a high intake. “He gets lost in a sea of dogs who don’t behave nicely in their kennels,” says the trainer.
Toro has a lot of love — and a lot of hugs — to offer, and he is hoping that his forever family will come across him very soon.