Roberta Sá Griner and her family have fostered and rehomed over 90 shelter dogs, but Duke the American Bulldog will always be their most difficult case.
Duke came from a family that liked to taunt him. They’d bind his legs together with fabric merely to make fun of him while he battled to move. Duke became an obsessive and neurotic dog as a result of this, and it would follow him for years.
Duke, then three years old, was abandoned by his family and found roaming on the motorway in 2014. The Greater Charlotte SPCA took him in and placed him as a foster with Roberta. The traumatized dog, on the other hand, turned out to be a “nightmare” for his foster parents.
Duke struggled with feelings of abandonment and anxiousness. When he was at home, he was fine, but when he saw another dog or strangers outside, he went crazy. It was difficult to regulate and keep him safe because of his muscular build and energetic temperament. He wasn’t particularly hostile, but he wasn’t afraid to bring “terrifying” humans down with him. Roberta sought out a number of trainers to assist him in dealing with his behavioral challenges.
Duke had changed into a well-behaved dog who got along well with children and other canines after a year of training. He did eventually find a loving home, and it appeared that he had finally struck gold. However, Duke’s regressive abuse scars reappeared barely three years later.
Duke’s new family noted that the dog had become “obsessed” with his toys and was becoming less tolerant of their young children. They had to make a difficult decision, but they returned him to the shelter. Roberta knew she couldn’t foster Duke this time when the shelter informed her of the issue.
Roberta had recently adopted three young girls, and she didn’t want to put her children in danger because Duke had become a “well-trained crazy.” But, as the months passed, it became evident that Duke’s present troubling behavior patterns were dooming him. Roberta reluctantly re-adopted Duke as a foster child, but she kept him on a leash at all times to protect her daughters.
A lovely miracle intervened just when things seemed hopeless. Roberta’s youngest daughter, Veronica, began bonding with Duke, and the dog unexpectedly embraced the 6-year-old as his human! Veronica would smuggle sweets into his room and even snuggle with him as he slept. Duke was back to being his pleasant, harmless self in no time!
Veronica’s authoritative yet caring nature, according to Roberta, makes Duke feel safe and protected. He no longer has any behavioral concerns and only needs a home with a regulated atmosphere and caring humans. It would be nice to live in a home without children so that he can blend in without having to undergo any adjustment training.
It’s awful to think that a fine dog like Duke has had to deal with so much volatility in his life as a result of his previous owners’ indifference. He requires a family that understands him and allows him to grow. Let’s spread the word and make sure Duke gets the happy ending he deserves.
Duke’s passionate plea to find a forever home may be seen in the video below.
