A heartbreaking video has captured the devastating impact abandonment can have on a dog’s nervous system.
The viral clip shared on Instagram by the animal rescue service Fetcher Dog shows Todd, a black and white dog, trembling behind the bars of a kennel. The footage has racked up more than 63,000 views, leaving viewers deeply moved.
“This angel was scheduled to be put to sleep in the pound tomorrow for no other reason than lack of space,” reads the text layered over the clip.
Speaking to Newsweek, Jordan Connor, founder of Fetcher Dog, said: “Todd was overwhelmed and terrified when he first arrived as he had no clue what was going on and if we were going to be nice to him.”
The caption on the post continues: “This is unfortunately the reality when people abandon their dogs. We will give him all the love and patience in the world and I’m sure he will get used to it here, but it can’t be nice for him to feel this scared and confused.”
Todd is estimated to be around two to three years old. His history is a mystery—Connor doesn’t know how he ended up in a pound or what his life was like before.
“He is a very sweet and loving boy,” she added.
“I’m contacted every week from various different pound pullers with lists of dogs that are going to be put to sleep that week.
“If we have a space because we’ve had an adoption, I can say yes, but if not we can’t save them. It’s all about space at the centre. We try our best to take as many as we can.”
The emotional footage of Todd highlights a crisis faced by shelters around the world. In the U.S. alone, 5.8 million dogs and cats entered shelters and rescues in 2024, according to data from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
Of those, approximately 607,000 animals were euthanized—though this figure represents a small but significant decrease from 2023. Over the past five years, euthanasia rates have fallen from 13 percent in 2019 to 8 percent in 2024.
Despite these improvements, shelters remain stretched thin, and animals like Todd face uncertainty through no fault of their own.
The video has prompted a wave of emotional reactions online.
“This is just heartbreaking. Probably bought as a puppy and has always lived in a home and now so confused,” one user wrote.
“I wish people that don’t truly love animals would just go without them. Thankful this sweet little baby is safe with you.”
Another commented: “So happy this precious soul is safe and sound—thank you for saving him.”
