Bella is two years old and has spent most of that time in animal shelters. Her owners gave her away as a baby because she “didn’t get along well with other dogs. But that required work, which the owners refused. That’s how Bella ended up at the Ashley Heath Animal Center shelter.
The staff took on her behavioral traits, and although it took a long time, they noticed a lot of progress in a few months. Bella was able to socialize normally with other dogs, get to know, and play. She had become a wonderful and well-behaved dog, and the only thing she wanted was a loving home.

“Bella is really worried by other dogs and lacks socialization skills that she missed out on in her early, formative months,” Hannah Hawkins, behavior and welfare advisor at Ashley Heath Animal Centre, said in a press release. “We believe that incorrect management has worsened this, and she was incredibly frustrated when we first started working with her, but, thankfully, after months and months of intensive work, we’ve started to see her making improvements.”

Bella loves people, loves to play, loves spending time with them, and asking for affection. To somehow replace this warmth and affection while Bella has no owners, the shelter staff gave her plush toys. The dog loved them so much that she spends a lot of time with them.

“Although we try to spend as much time with her as possible, we simply can’t be with her all the time, and she has sought solace in her cuddly toys, especially Winnie the Pooh, who she cuddles up with every night,” Hawkins said.

Although toys cannot replace loving owners, Bella is happy with her plush friends. She already has a whole collection. The staff at the shelter hope that soon people will come through their doors who will definitely pay attention to Bella and love her with all their hearts. We hope she finds her owners soon!