A shelter dog who was returned just three hours after being adopted finally gets to celebrate his happy ending after social media worked its magic.
Bronco, a Catahoula leopard dog, was brought into the Humane Society of Tulsa in June after being rescued from an FBI investigation. Bronco sat waiting to be adopted from the end of July, when the shelter was able to put him on the adoption floor, to October 21, when the original adopter took Bronco home.
Adoption Manager Rachel Ward told Newsweek that Bronco has more challenges compared to your average shelter dog. His past life of neglect can be linked to the reason why he can be a little
Bronco, along with 13 other dogs and 31 chickens, were found by the FBI during a homicide investigation. The Humane Society of Tulsa was called in to remove the animals temporarily while the K9s searched the property, but upon seeing the animals, it was immediately decided they were neglected, and a warrant was issued to rescue them.
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These animals had no access to food or water. Dogs were unsafely tethered together. Bronco was tied to a chain. Because of this trauma, Bronco was challenging for potential adopters.
The team was grateful for the original adopter giving him a chance, but Ward said there might have been an interaction between Bronco and the adopter’s dog that caused him to be returned. No matter the reason, she only wants what is best for the animals and in Bronco’s case, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
After sharing on Facebook Bronco’s return to the shelter, a new family from Nebraska reached out. They had a plan set in place to retrieve him through their relatives who live near Tulsa. Plus, this family already has a Catahoula leopard dog living on their 10,000-acre property who is more than willing to show Bronco how to act like a real dog.
Within the same day of being returned, Bronco’s new family was locked in and a few days later, he was off to his new home. The shelter celebrated his adoption by kissing him goodbye and dressing for the occasion.
Ward had a Ford Bronco hat she originally wanted Bronco to wear before he was sent off, but she said he could not stop wiggling. Instead, she sported the hat.
Bronco will be living on a farm with the family and their dog. Not only will he have all the room in the world to run around, but he will also spend nights cuddling with his new family, Ward said.
Rachel Ward, adoption manager at the Humane Society of Tulsa, poses with a dog named Bronco. Bronco was originally returned to the shelter after three hours, but he is now safe and sound with his… More
Ward explained that most of the animal returns the Tulsa shelter receives happen within 30 days of adoption. The return policy is there to protect the animal.
The transition for adopted animals can take time and because of this, Ward likes to educate adopters about the 3,3,3 rule. This rule explains the decompression stages animals go through after being adopted. It can take three days, three weeks, and three months for an animal to fully decompress, feel comfortable, and learn the family’s routine.
Each year 6.3 million pets are surrendered to U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet “Shelter Watch Report” found.
Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
