All Kelly ever longed for was affection, yet her life had been shaped by being turned away time and again.
After being taken advantage of by a breeder who saw her only as a source of income, the sweet girl was discarded once she was no longer deemed useful.
Left hungry, alone, and unsure of what she had done wrong, Kelly roamed the streets searching for even a small sign of compassion. And through everything she endured, she held onto one quiet hope—that someone, somewhere, would finally choose to care.
A Second Chance At Safety
When rescuers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, spotted Kelly struggling on the streets, they immediately reached out to the Humane Society of Broward County for help.
The sight of her thin, frail body broke the team’s hearts. Yet even in her weakened state, Kelly greeted everyone with affection. She adored human contact and seemed eager to trust again.
“Kelly is an absolute love bug and enjoys being with people and getting affection. She is goofy and likes to play with chew toys and go for walks,” said Susan Leonti, the digital marketing specialist at the Humane Society of Broward County, in an interview.
The staff quickly fell in love with her. They hoped she would soon find the forever home she deserved after so much pain.
To help her chances, they posted a video of Kelly on social media, showing her standing in her kennel, tail wagging and eyes full of hope.
The video caught the attention of a couple looking to adopt their first dog. The moment they saw Kelly, they felt she was meant to be theirs.
They came to the shelter the very next day, and their adoption paperwork was finalized.
Heartbreak After Hope
Kelly’s excitement that day was contagious. She wagged her tail nonstop, eager to leave the shelter behind and begin a new chapter.
The staff celebrated as she walked out the door, believing her days of loneliness were finally over.
But not long after she arrived in her new home, the couple made a painful discovery. One of them had a severe allergy to dogs.
Devastated, they returned to the shelter, knowing it was the only responsible choice.
For Kelly, the loss was crushing. After just beginning to feel safe and loved, she was back in her kennel again.
“Since being returned, Kelly has had such a sad and worried look on her face. When we walk by her kennel, she cries out to us and has a look of desperation in her eyes. It is simply heartbreaking to see,” Leonti shared.
Though she still receives comfort and affection from the shelter staff, Kelly misses having a family of her own.
She dreams of the day she will finally be able to stay in a real home forever, surrounded by people who will never let her go.
With a little luck, that day will come soon — because no dog deserves love more than she does.
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