A heartbreaking viral video has revealed what “severe kennel stress” looks like in a dog that has been waiting for over 770 days in a shelter.
Usopp, a six-year-old mixed-breed dog, has sparked widespread attention online, amassing over 180,000 views on TikTok in a video posted earlier this week.
Lindsay Kaplan, 34, a South Florida-based shelter volunteer and founder of the Instagram account Every Dog Deserves (@everydogdeserves_), shared the video of Usopp who is currently kenneled at the Humane Society of Greater Miami.
In the footage, Usopp was pacing his kennel, frantically leaping at the walls. Despite his anxiety, he remains attached to his shelter space, making it difficult for him to venture too far from his kennel without shutting down.
“He is fearful of new people and struggles outside of his kennel,” Kaplan told Newsweek. “When he is too far away from his kennel, he cowards, shuts down, and wants to go back inside.”
In 2024, approximately 7 million animals entered U.S. shelters and rescues, according to Shelter Animals Count—an increase of nearly 3 percent from 2023. By the end of the year, 103,000 more pets had entered shelters than had exited, contributing to an ongoing capacity crisis in U.S. shelters.
Around 748,000 animals experienced non-live outcomes, including euthanasia, death in care, and being lost in care, in 2024. While this represents a 1.6 percent decrease compared to 2023 and a 20 percent drop from 2019, the number remains high. Dogs made up a growing share of these outcomes, with euthanasia rates rising to 9 percent, compared to 7 percent in 2019.
What is kennel stress?
Kennel stress is a term often used to describe the mental and emotional stress dogs feel after a stay in a kennel environment. This is often as a result of noise and confinement, dealing with unfamiliar people and animals and lack of familiar comforts like beds or toys.
It often manifests in fear, anxiety or aggression, and can cause behaviors including shaking, whining, excessive barking, hiding and repetitive behaviors like in the video, including pacing, circling or spinning.
As the video of Usopp gained more attention online, people shared their thoughts. Viewer @kariijrea, wrote: “Omg hope this baby gets a home soon!!”
Following two years looking for the perfect owner, Usopp needs to find the right home. He has a history of biting on his record and would rather be the only dog in the home.
“We want Usopp to find the loving home he deserves, but it will take a very special person that is willing to be patient with him learning a new routine and owner,” Kaplan said.
For more information on Usopp, visit the Humane Society of Greater Miami.
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The post Video of Dog’s Life After 770 Days in Shelter—What It Shows Is Devastating appeared first on Newsweek.
