by Becky Holly
Fresno Bully Rescue shares their animal rescue adventures with us every other month. You can find more of their columns here and on KRL News & Reviews.
The Christmas holiday excitement of new puppies under the tree can be an amazing time for families and children. However, for those of us in rescue it can be a time of high anxiety as we know what may be coming in the next months. This is one of the reasons Fresno Bully Rescue makes lifelong commitments to the dogs in our care, even after adoption, to ensure they always have a safe, loving space.
At our small animal shelter, the sound of barking echoes through the kennels on winter mornings, a constant reminder of the dogs that have been given a second chance. However, some are provided loving homes only to have them ripped away in an instant. Some had been adopted just weeks ago, eager eyes shining with hope as they left their kennels for the warmth of a new home and some were adopted years ago but families and circumstances change. Now, those same eyes that were once wide with hope and love show confusion and fear as they are returned to the shelter to once again begin their search. Their tails hang low, their posture slumps with uncertainty. They don’t understand why the people they trusted had left them again. The shelter, though warm and safe, is not a long term solution for dogs to flourish to their full potential. Most shelters are a place where the absence of love left them feeling vulnerable and abandoned once more. Not so at Fresno Bully Rescue.
Even though the confusion is palpable in every wag of the tail that isn’t followed by a happy bark, in every trembling step toward the door, only to retreat back into the corner, we spend the time to allow them to decompress, we let them approach new people at their own pace and we make their space warm, comfortable and inviting. These dogs didn’t know the reasons for their return—whether it was behavioral, or simply that the humans had lost interest. Some of them had been too energetic, others had been too shy. But what they all had in common was that they had once believed they had found a home, and that belief had been shattered. It left them feeling lost, unsure of who to trust, and wondering if they would ever be given the love they so desperately needed.
As sad as this all sounds, it also provides us with an opportunity to help them trust and love again and renew our search for their forever family. In fact, the majority of dogs that are returned to our shelter find their forever family on their second try and stay there their entire lives. Sometimes timing is truly everything.
Dogs thrive in homes, where they can form deep bonds, feel secure, and begin to trust again. The shelter, though caring, cannot replicate that environment. For less confident dogs, it is crucial to find a family who can offer them stability, love, and patience—a place where they can heal and learn to trust again.
At Fresno Bully Rescue we work very hard to provide the very best, loving environment while these dogs await the family they deserve.
We have three very special dogs in our care right now who were returned and are looking for their second chance at their forever home.Delilah is a small, beautiful fawn bully who is so affectionate and who loves cuddles. She prefers to be the only dog in the home but if you meet her you’ll know she’s all you’ll ever need.
Ellie is a young, sensitive, dog-friendly girl who loves children more than anything! She would make the very best family dog and provide any children in the family with hours of entertainment, bedtime snuggles, and kisses.Roscoe is an older, slight, very gentle soul who is just looking for a lap and a loving hand. He’s one of the very best boys and is dog friendly and can even be cat tolerant.
If you are looking to give a second chance to a deserving shelter dog, please consider adopting from Fresno Bully Rescue!Fresno Bully Rescue
11740 E Belmont Ave, Sanger, CA 93657
Phone: (559) 276-7611
fresnobullyrescue.org
Check out more animal rescue stories in our Pet Perspective section here in KRL and on our sister website KRL News & Reviews. Advertise in KRL and 10% of your advertising fees can go to Fresno Bully Rescue.
Good luck to Delilah, Ellie, and Roscoe on finding their forever home! Even though I’ve been attacked and bitten by a pibble, I still think they’re wonderful doggos and I wouldn’t hesitate in getting one (if I weren’t already full up with pets!). (We have two cats (my blue point Siamese cat, Frankie and our black cat saved from the great outdoors, Hamilton) and a dog, Sasha Charlie (who is boxer, bulldog (pibble?), German Shepherd, Siberian Husky, and a 5th breed which is more than likely Belgian Malinois)!)
Rescue organizations like Fresno Bully Rescue are vital. My pup is a rescue. They make the best fur kids. It’s so incredibly sad with a rescue is returned. I don’t get how someone can be so cruel. I also think fosters are critical for helping dogs and pets keep their happy personality and not lose themselves in what is often a very cold and scary shelter. I do hope Delilah, Ellie, and Roscoe find their furever families. They are adorable and loving pups who deserve loving families. I’m sharing and have my fingers and paws crossed that their families will show up soon to adopt them.
Keep up the good work Fresno Bully Rescue! It takes a lot of hard work and broken hearts to help these animals out. We have a rescue pibble of our own. Too many people see dogs as an accessory and disposable. Love to everybody that realizes that they are family and deserve to be loved by us during good times and bad.
Delilah, Ellie, and Roscoe are beauties and I sure hope they find their loving forever families very soon! I had five Huskies myself, and boy, do we see the same problem with Huskies – people get them not realizing their needs just because they are cute and give them as gifts without doing their homework on a) whether the receiver actually wants a dog/puppy, and b) not knowing the breed’s needs. Sadly, way too many then wind up in shelters and rescues. My wish for this new year is that all dogs find their forever homes. It’s a tall order, but I think as we all work together as a “village” to get the message out, maybe–hopefully–it could be attainable. I sure hope so. Bravo to Fresno Bully Rescue for the work they do. Pinning to share!
Absolutely breaks my heart. It’s obvious the work you’re doing is amazing, always being there to give these sweet souls a second chance. While it’s true circumstances change and sometimes the only choice is to surrender, I also know how little thought too many people put in before welcoming a dog, then return them without hesitation. I’ve seen it too many times. Here’s hoping these cuties find the forever homes they deserve.