Dog was too shy to walk halls at Florida shelter — until she met ‘perfect couple’
A shy dog shared a sweet meeting with her future owners before Valentine’s Day at a Florida shelter, which called it a “love story.”
Lele, a 2-year-old terrier mix, was surrendered on Feb. 12 by her family, Humane Society of Tampa Bay marketing manager Regan Blessinger told McClatchy News in an email. The same day, the shelter said she met her “perfect couple” and captured the heartwarming moment between Lele and one of her new owners, as shown in a Feb. 14 Facebook post.
The “timid girl” was surrendered to the shelter because her family was moving, Blessinger said.
Leaving Lele at the shelter didn’t go over very well at first, as she was scared to walk the hall, the shelter said.
“Lele was just so nervous and timid that it took her a little while to show off her personality but when it did start to shine through, she was just a sweet dog who wanted to be loved on!” Blessinger said.
The couple who ended up adopting Lele, Joseph and Dee, were the first ones to go meet her when she was surrendered, Blessinger said. That made it “even more meant to be,” she said.
Joseph and Dee’s “love story” with Lele started when they had their meet-and-greet in a quiet room for her to feel safe in, and they instantly “fell in love,” the shelter said.
First, Dee got cozy with Lele, letting the dog “warm up” to her, according to the shelter. Then she switched off with her husband, who sat down on Lele’s level to make sure she wasn’t “too overwhelmed with both of them.”
Through the entire adoption process, Joseph stayed on the floor by Lele’s side, letting her feel safe in his presence, according to the organization. The photo that staff captured of the two together shows how much trust Lele built during their meeting, the shelter said.
Once the adoption paperwork was ready to go, Lele had gotten so comfortable that she placed her head in Joseph’s lap, the shelter said. They were the right pair to give her “time, patience and stability,” according to the organization.
“We are just so overjoyed that she found a family who will give her the patience and love to come out of her shell and get to be the fun and loving dog she deserves!” Blessinger said.
Lele may have needed to be carried out of the shelter due to her nervousness, but she was happy to go home with a new family, the shelter said.
“It’s ok, we’ll give her plenty of time. Even if she needs 10 minutes to get out of the car when we get home,” the couple told the shelter.
This story was originally published February 14, 2024 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Dog was too shy to walk halls at Florida shelter — until she met ‘perfect couple’."
