Dog who keeps returning to NC shelter needs a home — again. ‘Heartbreaking to watch’
A dog keeps returning to a North Carolina shelter — and needs another new home.
Lil Queen Trash Mouth, a pup “who believes every day should be a play day,” is struggling as she waits for her luck to change.
“Here’s the thing about dogs like Lil Queen: when confined to a small space, their vibrant spirits can begin to fade,” the Watauga Humane Society wrote Aug. 10 on Facebook. “And that’s exactly what’s happening to our girl. Lil Queen is showing signs of severe kennel stress. We see it in the way she paces, jumps, and struggles to stay still. Honestly, it’s heartbreaking to watch.”
The “majestic diva” first came to the shelter as a stray in September 2022. She was affectionately given the name Lil Queen Trash Mouth after a character from the TV show “Bob’s Burgers,” the shelter wrote on social media and in an email to McClatchy News.
Over the past two years, Lil Queen has been adopted and returned several times. Her latest owner took her home in December 2022 before surrendering her this May.
“After such an extended period of time in a home, it is to be expected that she not do well being back at the shelter,” the humane society wrote. “Returns are incredibly hard on most dogs, and we can see them deteriorate each time — she is no exception.”
Though Lil Queen has “hyperactive” moments, she transforms when she gets outside of her kennel. The shelter said she turns into the “playful, loving dog we know she is deep down.”
Lil Queen also is described as a smart, high-energy pup with a love for naps and snuggling. She “would trade in her left paw for 3 minutes of constant belly rubs,” the humane society wrote.
Now, Lil Queen urgently needs to be adopted or go into a foster home. The shelter hopes her new family will have the patience to help the 2-year-old pup get a fresh start.
“Lil Queen never really got the chance to be the amazing dog we know she can be,” the humane society wrote. “She was failed time and time again. She wasn’t potty trained, has separation anxiety, and let’s just say cats aren’t her favorite. But don’t let that deter you — this girl has so much potential.”
As of Aug. 13, the mixed-breed dog was still available for adoption at the shelter in the mountain town of Boone, a roughly 85-mile drive west from Winston-Salem. More details about the shelter’s adoption process can be found at wataugahumane.org.
“She’s been through so much, but she hasn’t given up hope — and neither have we,” the animal organization wrote. “She’s waiting for that special person to see past her quirks and give her the love she so desperately needs.”
This story was originally published August 13, 2024 at 11:48 AM with the headline "Dog who keeps returning to NC shelter needs a home — again. ‘Heartbreaking to watch’."
