A Border collie who had given up hope of getting a forever home has now had her life changed after a post about her went viral.
Billie is a Border collie mix who has spent most of her life at the Animal Care Society in Louisville, Kentucky, after being repeatedly overlooked by potential adopters. Taken into the shelter as a puppy, Billie is now 2.5 years old—and has spent more than two years in the shelter.
Animal Care Society shared her story in a video to its Instagram account, @animalcaresociety, on October 14, showing the heartbreaking difference in the dog on her very first day versus two days later—but it is this devastating clip that may have found her a forever home at long last.
The video, liked more than 56,000 times, begins with the gorgeous border mix looking at the camera with her unusual brown and blue eyes, tail wagging and her ears pricked up, as the shelter described it: “Billie on day 1 at the shelter excited to find her forever family!”
But the clip then changes, showing Billie now: laying on her side in a kennel, “on day 748 still waiting for her forever family.”
In a caption, shelter staff said that Billie “has now been at the shelter for over 2 years. She is a vibrant 2.5 year old Border Collie mix with a zest for life and a heart full of love, but due to some resource guarding tendencies, she requires a dedicated and experienced owner who can be patient and understanding with her.”
Determined to do the best for Billie, the shelter added: “We know Billie’s perfect home is out there, and we’re not giving up on her. We hope you won’t either. Come visit her at Animal Care Society today!”
Animal lovers were heartbroken, with one commenter asking: “How is it possible…the right humans must be out there.”
“Please someone adopt her,” another posted, with a third agreeing: “Please find Billie a home.”
Many others pleaded for “updates” on Billie’s story—and, in a comment in November, a staff member shared the happy news: “Billie is currently in a foster to adopt with a family that has came to meet her a few times now and we are hoping for the best!”
On November 14, staff member Meredith appeared in a video with Billie, explaining some of her resource-guarding issues and how there was ongoing training to combat this.
And in a caption, the shelter wrote: “Since filming, Billie has moved into a foster-to-adopt home! We’re so excited for her and hr new family and are hoping it’s the perfect match!”
Resource guarding in dogs sees an animal protect what they see as theirs, such as food, a bed, toys or what they perceive as their territory. The canine may growl or even bite if they feel like what is ‘theirs’ is in danger of being taken away, which can cause major issues in a domestic setting, according to a report from the American Kennel Club (AKC).
Owners dealing with resource guarding in their dogs should approach a professional trainer for help, while owners of puppies should begin training early to prevent resource guarding from developing.
Newsweek has contacted @animalcaresociety via email and Instagram for comment on this story.
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