He Makes This Face Every Time He Realizes He's Going Back To The Shelter

This dog just can't seem to stick with any of the forever homes he's been to - and so he continues to wait for the perfect family that won't send him back.

Marshmallow, a 1-year-old American bulldog mix, was returned yet again to the Montgomery County Animal Services & Adoption in Derwood, Maryland, early last month.

"Poor Marshmallow. He was returned to the shelter again, in less than a week this time," Michele Kenno, a volunteer, wrote in a Facebook post on February 8.

"He has a ton of nervous energy and needs someone who will give him time to adjust. I wish adopters understood and respected the decompression period. If they saw how active he was at the shelter, did they really think they were going to get him home and find an immediate 'off' switch for all his energy? All this sweetheart of a boy needs is unconditional love, stability and time."

In another Facebook post from January, Kenno laments over Marshmallow being adopted only to be returned, wishing that someone would adopt him before Valentine's Day since he loves to give kisses.

Even worse, Marshmallow very much feels the sting behind all of his rejections. In one recent, heartbreaking post, Kenno reveals the face Marshmallow makes every time he's taken out ...

... only to realize that he has to return to the shelter.

After taking a walk with Kenno, as she showed in another Facebook post, she sat in the car with Marshmallow before returning him to the shelter. Tired and craving nothing but closeness and affection, Marshmallow climbed into Kenno's lap and fell asleep.

Kenno explains in several Facebook comments that although she wishes she could take Marshmallow home, he unfortunately does not get along with her other dogs ...

... and so, he continues to wait patiently for someone to love him and never take him back. His perfect match is out there somewhere.

The first 30 days a shelter dog spends in a new home are the most critical, as dogs in shelters aren't expressing the full range of their personality, Rob Halpin, director of public relations for MSPCA-Angell, told The Dodo previously. With the right amount of patience, an owner should let his or her dog blossom and really get to know their new pet during that period - it's worth it in the long run.

Are you interested in giving Marshmallow the permanent home he deserves? Check out his adoption page here (his ID number is A404845).

Even if you can't take home Marshmallow, there are many more pets like him out there also in need of good homes. Get started at Adopt-a-Pet.com.