Dog Was So Scared At Shelter He Couldn't Stop Shaking

When Texas shelter volunteer Paige King saw a tan mixed-breed dog shaking in a kennel at Fort Worth Animal Care and Control, she knew she had to help save him.

The dog, named Neno, ended up at the shelter because his owner could no longer afford to keep him. 

“He was terrified,” King told The Dodo. “He was sitting still in the middle of the kennel with his legs tucked so tight. He would turn his head sideways to avoid looking at me.”

King grabbed her phone, took a video of Neno, posted it on Facebook and hoped someone would notice him. And it worked — more than 230,000 people viewed it, including Laura Rodgers. 

“The moment I saw his video, I cried,” Rodgers told The Dodo. “I could not get him out of my mind. That video moved me that much.” 

Rodgers jumped in her car the next day and drove more than an hour to the shelter. 

“I don’t think I could have lived with myself if I didn’t know he was out of there and safe,” Rodgers said. “There were many people commenting on the Facebook post saying they wanted to adopt him, but 24 hours later he was still there.”

When Rodgers walked in, a shelter employee told her that several people had come to meet Neno, but decided he wasn’t the right fit for them. Rodgers went straight to Neno’s kennel, coaxed him outside and then took this video.

Once he was out of his kennel, his trembling and fear subsided, but Rodgers could tell something wasn’t quite right. Neno was weak and wobbly when he walked.  She wondered if he had some neurological issues. 

That was just fine with Rodgers, though, because she had already decided Neno was coming home with her. “He’s the kind of dog who fits in my wheelhouse,” she said. “A dog that needs love, time and attention. I could see why other people passed, but for me, Neno was a perfect fit.”

After bringing him home, Rodgers took Neno to the vet. The vet discovered Neno was anemic, which could have been the result of a massive tick infestation he had. He also has an underactive thyroid, which the vet is stabilizing before doing any advanced neurological testing for Neno’s wobbliness. Neno is also infected with heartworm, which will be treated once he’s healthy enough. 

Rodgers suspects Neno may have lived his former life outside, or on a chain, due to the number of pressure sores on his body. 

Neno has become more relaxed and happy in his new home. He is still wobbly when he first stands up, but then he gets going and moves along pretty well. 

Neno instantly fit in with Rodgers’ family. He is wonderful with all the other dogs in his new home. 

And Neno is not only a fan of his four-legged siblings; he also loves hanging out with the ducks who live on Rodgers’ property. 

Neno also loves to give his new mom lots of kisses.

Rodgers is actually thankful Neno’s former owner brought him to the shelter. “I don’t advocate for people to surrender their dogs because they can’t afford to care for them,” she said. “But until we, as a society, come up with a better alternative, in this case, going to the shelter saved Neno’s life.”

Neno now has so many fans rooting for him that Rodgers made him his own Facebook page. "I know a lot of people were very worried about him, and I wanted them to know he is OK,” she said. “I am sure many were like me, so haunted by the video. I see hundreds of dog videos a day. For some reason his really hit me hard. He is a special boy."

King is thrilled the video she posted led to Neno finding an amazing home. “I had no idea it would blow up like it did,” she said. “I hoped I’d get five shares, it was crazy. He looked so sad and now he is such a lucky dog.” 

Rodgers hopes Neno’s Facebook page inspires other people to adopt a dog. “Even if you’re not up for [a] challenge like Neno, I promise, there’s another dog in a shelter who will fit your lifestyle,” she said.

And Rodgers promises Neno: “Wherever this journey takes us, we will all go together. He is here for life, he is not going to go anywhere.” 

“He is truly a spectacular dog,” she said. “Every day he amazes me in the improvements that he makes, and all the love that he shows. He has taught me so much about forgiving and just opening your heart.”