After a less-than-ideal beginning, Tessy now has plenty to celebrate!
This sweet black Lab mix arrived at a shelter in Delaware, eager to find her forever home. However, the search for her special someone was not a quick one.
She faced countless rejections from families due to her reactive behavior, a consequence of her extended stay as a shelter dog. Days turned to months, and months to years, yet Tessy remained hopeful. Finally, after more than 1,000 days, the right family appeared!
Playful, Loyal, Goofy
The wonderful team at Humane Animal Partners in Delaware welcomed Tessy after her transfer from Humane Society of North Texas. Upon her arrival, she was playful, goofy, and full of life!
Tessy developed wonderful relationships with all the shelter volunteers, but her time there began to weigh on her. This resulted in her becoming fearful and reactive around new people and unfamiliar dogs.
Despite the staff’s best efforts to ease her anxiety, Tessy often felt uncertain around strangers. She required time to realize she was in a safe environment before she could begin to relax and reveal her true self.
Despite her challenges, Tessy quickly became a staff favorite at HAP. Her charmingly playful demeanor and irresistible wiggle brought smiles to everyone who met her.
“She certainly greets our team with a big grin and an even bigger wag every morning,” HAP shared on their Facebook page.
Ultimately, however, Tessy was repeatedly passed over for adoption. Each time a potential family expressed interest, they would withdraw their application upon witnessing her reactive tendencies.
Diagnosed With Fear-Reactive Behavior
Determined to help Tessy, Leigh McKinley, the director of HAP, along with her team, created a comprehensive plan to support this sweet dog.
Tessy was given her own soundproof kennel and custom curtains to reduce her stress. The team closely monitored her behavior and implemented positive reinforcement training techniques.
She was taken on walks several times a day, and slowly started to enjoy her trips to the beach and local parks. Over time, she truly savored these outings, marking significant progress!
Jeanine, Jeff, And Tessy Were Just Meant To Be
After numerous unsuccessful adoption attempts, Jeanine Walker-Porter and Jeff Bush emerged as Tessy’s perfect match. They made several visits to ensure Tessy felt at ease with them.
During their final visit, Tessy expressed undeniable affection for her prospective new owners—she was smitten!
The shelter held an emotional farewell for their long-time resident as she embarked on her new journey. Team members gathered to give Tessy heartfelt hugs before she headed off to her forever home.
The atmosphere was filled with bittersweet emotions, but everyone was overjoyed to see her finally with the right family!
Not long after, Jeanine and Jeff shared the wonderful update that Tessy had adjusted beautifully to her new surroundings and was relishing everything her new life had to offer.
“She is always by our side and loves to sit between us… We adore her and feel blessed she is ours,” Jeanine shared.
Once a scared and uncertain dog, Tessy is now embracing every day as a new adventure—and she’s loving every moment of it!
