Sweet Shelter Pup Has Been Waiting For A Home For 1,068 Days

For three years, Lucky has spent his days watching dogs come and go from Del Norte Animal Control in Crescent City, California.

The large pittie just can’t understand why people continue to overlook his kennel when making their choice. 

Lucky has lived at Del Norte Animal Control since 2017 after the only family he’d ever known dropped him off. “An older individual was providing care for Lucky and unfortunately Lucky became a bit too strong for him to handle so he ended up calling our facility,” Brittany Pratt, an agricultural animal care technician at Del Norte Animal Control, told The Dodo.

The shelter staff, who all love Lucky, know his large size could be an asset, not a problem for the right person. “He’s very smart, good-natured and strong, and will definitely make his house and humans feel protected,” Pratt said. “He loves to cuddle and his favorite thing to do is convince his favorite people to give him all the belly rubs.”

Lucky can be a little inquisitive and slow to warm up when meeting new people. But once someone takes the time to put a leash on him and bring him outside on a walk, he shows off his playful, loving personality.

“He loves to look for squirrels, treats and playing fetch,” Pratt said. “He just likes being a big ol’ goofy dog. Once you can break him out of that hard exterior shell, he’ll warm up to you and show you what a goofy puppy he can be.”

Lucky is blind in one eye due to an injury early on in life, which has left him with an adorable permanent wink. He tries to use his good looks to charm the shelter's visitors, but after 1,062 days without a home, Lucky’s caregivers have noticed that he’s started to give up.

“Over the last six months, we’ve seen him starting to shut down,” Pratt said. “He’s not as happy-go-lucky in the morning when we come and see him, and he’s starting to slow down a bit.”

“He’s seen countless dogs come and go from our facility and leave with their new family, and we think he just wonders when it’s gonna be his turn,” she added.

Lucky has waited a long time for a family, but he knows there's someone out there ready to receive all the love he has to give.