Meet sweet Polly who is blossoming in her foster home. Her joy is palpable and her passion for toys, unmatched. We are so happy for her!

Polly was confiscated as part of a dogfighting/cruelty case when she was only a puppy and held as "evidence" for OVER TWO YEARS at the county shelter until the case went to trial. She had NO exposure to the outside world, men (all-female staff), stairs, car rides, or walks through a neighborhood. As evidence, Polly was considered kept in a separate area of the shelter, only allowed to be handled by staff. These pups cant socialize with volunteers or other dogs or be spayed/neutered until they legally belong to the shelter. They get less engagement and are considered property, and sadly become collateral damage in a broken justice system.

Because of her lack of socialization, Polly needed to go to rescue first to rehabilitate and get a gradual introduction to her new world, and she lucked out when Laine and Gary stepped up to foster her. They are veteran fosters who have been doing it for 10+ years and have a lot of experience with undersocialized dogs. While she was scared at first, she has acclimated better than we expected. She found a BFF in the family dog, Clarysse, who looks like her twin. Shes discovered her passion for toys and carries her treasures everywhere...even on walks. She loves mealtime and daily walks, has adjusted to TV sounds and stairs, and has become a champion couch snuggler. Shes still a little leary of Gary and men in general, but shes improving with more exposure. Gary stays involved and gives her lots of treats so that she thinks of him as her caregiver.

Laine checked in with this one-month update:

"Polly is really starting to enjoy herself. She is very loving and likes to lay on the couch with you or on you with her toys of course. She loves to do zoomies. Shes crate trained, housetrained, and has learned sit but does a cute little tapping with her front paws because she gets so excited when she thinks a treat is coming. She loves her toys and will play fetch when she is in the mood. Shes great with our dogs and enjoys playing with Clarysse and Gypsy.

Shes getting braver on her walks but is still a work in progress. She did fine on our outing to the Gardens, but is still terrified of getting in or around the car, and will pancake to the ground and try to pull away. She just needs more time and practice. Shes pretty good on leash but will pull when she wants something like going inside after a walk, seeing one of the dogs, a toy. Shes still adjusting to noises and will jump if a branch moves or breaks if I step on it... Working on that. Shes better around Gary when Im here with them."

FOSTER UPDATE - 7/15/22

Polly continues to flourish in her foster home and is quite the little athlete when shes in zoomie mode. Shes also making HUGE strides with her foster dad, Gary. She no longer barks when he comes home, and shes figured out that hes good people and often the source of tasty treats. For the first time, she joyfully greeted Gary when he returned home from the store, jumping up on him for pets and affection. We knew hed win her over.

Polly is lucky to have two foster parents who understand that dogs need time and stability but can and do evolve. Theyve been patient, gradually introducing Polly to new things and giving her regular treat sessions and time with Gary. This loving and excited pup is the result.

The best home for Polly would be a patient owner who will give her time to settle in and adjust to her new surroundings. We also feel another social, established dog in her home will help her trust and adapt more quickly. She will do best in a quieter neighborhood vs. city or condo setting.

Polly will be coming to N. VA in late July to start her new life. We feel another social, established dog in her home will really help her trust and adapt more quickly. She needs a patient adopter and will do best in a quieter neighborhood setting vs. city or condo life.

Apply today!

BREED ESTIMATE: Bully (AmStaff or APBT mix)
GENDER: Female
APPROXIMATE WEIGHT: ~ 30-35 lbs (petite pittie)
APPROXIMATE AGE: ~ 2.5 to 3 years old
COAT TYPE: short
ADOPTION FEE: $400
OTHER INFO: utd on shots/spayed/microchipped
LOCATION: Rock Hill, SC

FOR MORE INFO OR TO ADOPT: Please go to https://adopt.worthydog.org and complete the application.

You can also help save dogs like this one by becoming a foster, providing a rescue dog with a temporary home and giving them the love and care they need until they are permanently adopted. Every person who fosters is directly responsible for saving the life of a dog, because we can only save as many dogs as we have foster families available to welcome them into their homes. If you think you might be interested in becoming a foster and want to learn more, please go to https://foster.worthydog.org and fill out an application.

Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based rescue that primarily adopts to families in the DC Metro area.