Despite an unimpressive beginning, Tessy has an abundance to be cheerful about!
This charming black Labrador mix girl found herself at a Delaware animal shelter, looking forward to discovering her ideal home soon, yet it turned out her perfect match didn’t come easily.
Numerous families passed her by because of her anxious behavior, which developed because she had been at the shelter for an extended period. Days changed into months, months turned into years, and Tessy continued to wait. Finally, after more than 1,000 days, the right family appeared!
Playful, Loyal, Quirky
The wonderful folks at Humane Animal Partners in Delaware welcomed Tessy after her transfer from Humane Society of North Texas. Upon her arrival at HAP, she displayed a playful, quirky, and incredibly positive demeanor!
She had a remarkable connection with every single volunteer at the shelter until her environment began to affect her negatively. This led to Tessy being nervous and reactive towards unfamiliar people and dogs.
Although the team consistently made efforts to ensure her comfort, this Lab girl always felt uncertain around newcomers. Generally, she required some time to recognize that she was safe, which is when she started to come out of her shell.
Conversely, Tessy was an absolute favorite among all of HAP’s staff. Her playful and endearing character was simply irresistible. The way she greeted everyone with a big wiggle and a smile whenever they called her made her caregivers instantly smitten!
“She certainly greets our staff with a big smile and an even bigger wiggle every morning,” HAP announced on Facebook.
The dilemma was – Tessy had been passed over for numerous years. Whenever a family showed interest in adopting her (due to her appealing breed), they would ultimately retract their application because of her anxious behavior.
Diagnosed With Fear-Reactive Behavior
Leigh McKinley, the director of HAP, along with the dedicated team, was resolute in their mission to assist Tessy. This compassionate volunteer and professional trainer devised a comprehensive strategy to help overcome her fears.
She received her very own noise-proof kennel and custom curtains that reduced her stress. McKinley and her colleagues carefully observed her behavior on a daily basis and ensured she was trained using positive reinforcement methods.
The HAP staff walked Tessy multiple times each day. She really began to appreciate her excursions to the beach and local parks. Over time, she genuinely relished every moment spent outdoors, marking a significant advancement!
Jeanine, Jeff, And Tessy Were Just Meant To Be
After numerous unsuccessful attempts to successfully adopt Tessy out, Jeanine Walker-Porter and Jeff Bush emerged as the perfect fit for Tessy. They committed to visiting her multiple times before the team was completely confident that she was at ease with them.
During their final visit, Tessy sent the clearest signals that she had finally discovered her ideal humans. She was genuinely enamored with her new guardians!
The shelter organized an incredibly emotional farewell for their long-term resident as she moved to her new home. Everyone present at the shelter gathered to give Tessy one last affectionate hug before she departed for her forever family.
It was an emotional journey, but ultimately, everyone felt overjoyed to witness her finally being embraced by the right people!
After a while, Jeanine and Jeff provided the team with incredible updates! Tessy acclimated to her new surroundings, and she is absolutely enthusiastic about everything in her new home.
“She is always by our side. She adores sitting between the two of us… We cherish her and are thrilled she is ours,” Jeanine shared.
Once a timid dog girl lacking confidence, Tessy is now seizing each day as a fresh adventure. And she absolutely relishes it!