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By Liz O'Connell
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Hearts are breaking on social media for a confused dog that was surrendered to a Texas shelter after he was adopted two years ago.
Carlton wouldn't move from where his previous owners sat when they brought him to the Special Pals animal shelter in Houston. He had been with them for the past two years, and they were his family. But in a blink of an eye, the dog's world turned upside down.
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A May 24 TikTok video posted by @bigcityb shows Carlton's transition to shelter life, and, well, it isn't glamorous. The workers at the Houston shelter were able to have a few happy moments with Carlton, giving him treats and making him feel more comfortable, but as soon as he was inside his kennel, he broke down.
Carlton refused to accept treats or pets. The sadness set in. He is "scared" and "confused." And now, the waiting game begins for him to get adopted.
The caption reads: "Don't worry buddy. You are safe and will find a new home someday."
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The video's creator, Becky, told Newsweek via TikTok that there has been no adoption interest in Carlton. However, he has been doing better since the day he was surrendered.
In an update video about Carlton, Becky said he is happy again. The team at the shelter learned that he loves playing with balls. It's more like an obsession. While the shelter tries to occupy him with playtime and love, Carlton, like millions of other animals across the country, still waits for his forever family to come forward.
Each year, 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 in January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, 24Petwatch's Shelter Watch Report found.
Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs and behavior rehabilitation.
Viewer Reactions
The TikTok clip has received 61,800 views, 8,390 likes and 1,837 comments. Viewers feel a mixture of anger toward the owners and sadness that the dog is experiencing shelter life, which can be a loud and stressful environment for animals.
"Come on people. Do Better! Dogs are a lifetime commitment!!" commented one user. Another asked: "Why do people do this?? I will never understand."
A third TikToker said: "Someone pls adopt him and give him lots of cuddles and luvs."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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