Gavin's Story
Many in Texas will remember the arctic ice storm of 2021. That marked the beginning of Gavin’s story at the Central Texas SPCA. Gavin had been pulled from a hoard of 80 dogs in Burnet County who had been living in deplorable conditions and whose only purpose was to breed puppies to be sold. The Central Texas SPCA took in Gavin and nine other dogs on February 11. We quickly learned that Gavin had severe social anxiety. Because he had never actually had much, if any, interaction with humans, he was extremely fearful of our 1:1 personalized care. He was scared of our indoor crates. He was terrified to be touched. And despite all that fear and anxiety, we could see a glimmer of his soul yearning to be “like other dogs” who enjoyed being walked on leash, petted and loved on. So we did what we do: came up with a plan tailored to his specific needs and began to eke away at the demons that haunted his memories.
Of course, exacerbating the situation was the ice storm that started to roll in on February 12 and was in full effect by February 13. Several of our regular staff could not make it to the shelter because of road conditions so we had to rely on only two staff members and a few volunteers who lived within walking distance and/or were able to safely make their way to the shelter to care for the animals. Our usual procedures were out the window during the storm but, as the ice began to melt, so did Gavin’s walls. It was a very slow process but we were determined to take an approach that would gain his trust. Instead of forcing things on him that frightened him, we modified our infirm room and yard so he could go in and out through the doggie door. Our staff began introducing him to a slip lead and got him comfortable enough to walk to our smaller outside intake area. As time went on, we were able to put a leash on him and give him full walks of the property.
Because of his anxiety and fear of being touched, it was very difficult to find a home for Gavin. Most people want those super friendly, playful, and loved to be pet type of dogs that are easy to connect with in a moment. But we continued to expose Gavin to a variety of people as the months went by so he would continue building his confidence. As that confidence grew, so did his desire to be pet and walked on leash.
Eventually a family came to meet Gavin and fell in love with him and his “quirks.” Even though he was not super playful and it took some effort to pet him the first few times, they made several visits to allow him to get to know them. They officially adopted Gavin and took him home in January 2023. Yes, it took nearly two years for Gavin to find his Forever Family, but we never gave up on him and he never gave up on us. He is now living his best dog life like all those other dogs.
Want to join us in making a difference in the life of an animal? Please consider donating, sign-up to be a foster, apply to become a volunteer, or come visit and possibly find your next Furry Family member at our shelter. We appreciate your support!