Shelter dog has the saddest face in the kennel because “no one asks to see her”

A shelter dog puts on the saddest figures as she waits for that special someone to give her a chance at a new happy life.

Magic, eh four year old mastiffis struggling to catch even a glimpse of visitors to the Santa Clara Animal Care and Control Center, and it seems it’s starting to take its toll. The dog became the center of attention on social networks after a video was published on the site where it was in a kennel. TikTok a channel called wags4foreverhomes that was created to shed light on some of the Santa Clara shelter residents in need of finding a forever home.

In the clip, Magic can be seen looking sadly into the distance, while a caption on the screen explains that her gloomy mood is due to the fact that “no one is asking to see her.”

Alex Vega, CEPA Operations Assistant at the Santa Clara County Animal Shelter, said: Newsweek that “Magic was found by Morgan Hill police as a homeless person at Tennant Station in Morgan Hill. “She didn’t have a chip or tags, so the shelter put her on the website as a lost dog for a period of neglect.”

The fact that Magic was not microchipped made it difficult for authorities to learn much about her life before she was detained, but it was clear that she needed care.

“She had dry skin all over her body, scars on the left side of her body and a mass under her tail,” Vega said. “She also had a leash, but no ID.”

Magic was initially put on hold in case its previous owner came forward. When an owner never showed up, Magic was available for adoption, but so far she hasn’t attracted much interest from visitors.

Vega attributes Magic’s struggles to a number of factors. “She’s a mastiff weighing 85 lbs. A lot of clients who come to the shelter are looking for small to medium-sized dogs,” Vega said. “We think she’s being ignored because of her size and that. she is “older” at the age of four.”

Vega has spent more time with Magic than most and insists she will be a completely different dog when she leaves the kennel.

“When you see Magic in the kennel she usually looks sad, the folds of her skin make her face look like she’s frowning. She usually lies in her bed and looks at you with her big eyes,” Vega said. “However, when she is outside, she looks like another dog: her mouth is open and she looks like she is smiling. She loves to play, go for walks and cuddle.”

However, the version of Magic that most visitors see is dismal, and that may be part of the problem. In a 2014 study published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior ScienceResearchers studied interactions between 250 visitors and shelter dogs.

The results showed that these dogs have little time to impress a visitor. The vast majority of visitors studied only asked to interact with one dog during their visits, and these interactions lasted just eight minutes.

However, there is hope for Magic. She is currently in foster care where she will receive the care she needs to come out of her shell and break the cycle of shelter life.

Vega has a vision for a home that would suit Magic.

“She will do best in a home where she can be walked around and given the attention she deserves. She loves being with people and will even let you dress her up,” Vega said. “She’s had a tough time with dry skin and scarring and would appreciate a home that continues to help her coat look its best.”

The goal now is to bring this vision to life.