Earlier this week a photo of a Labrador mix that was returned to the shelter went viral after the dog was deemed ‘the saddest dog in the world,’ – a deserved moniker considering how unequivocally defeated the poor dog looks in the picture.And thanks to the insane amount of exposure this picture has gotten, once people saw how sad this sweet dog looked, the adoption requests started pouring in by the thousands. Now, this once cripplingly depressed dog is living in a foster home where she is going through behavioral training and socialization. And once her training is over, she will be sent to live with whichever family is lucky enough to be selected out of the staggering pile of applicants.
Lana’s Story
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Mighty MuttsLana, aka the saddest dog in the world, may be ready to give up that title now, but before she was a recognized internet sensation, she was simply another dog that could not catch a break. In fact, Lana led such a hard-scrabble life she actually did end up suffering from some serious behavioral issues (i.e., depression). As a puppy, she was born into a litter of thirteen. The kind of competition created by being born into such a large litter can do serious damage to a dog’s personality. As such, when Lana was adopted as a five-month-old puppy, it was only for a year. Because of her behavioral problems, Lana was given back to the shelter. “It was a very hard decision for them, they love her very much and they were responsible enough to contact the rescue where they know she would get the home she now needs,” Rescue Dogs Match told reporters at ABC News.
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Mighty Mutts But just because she comes with some baggage does not mean she is less deserving of a loving home. That said, since she does present a larger hurdle to acclimate than other dogs, the shelter wanted to ensure that whoever adopted her next was up to the task. It was then that the people at Mighty Mutts, a school that specializes in training dogs with aggression and other behavioral problems, decided to lend a hand. They took a photo of Lana in her boarding cage looking forlorn and despondent and posted it to Facebook. And then things took off.Thousands of likes came pouring in, along with thousands of offers to give this bummed out dog her forever home. And while all the support is greatly appreciated, the shelter still thinks that a foster home and a few months of training are necessary before anyone adopts her. But if one thing is assured, it is that Lana can officially give up her title as ‘the saddest dog in the world.’ Just look at that face!
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