Dog struggled in NC shelter after spending 6 years with family. Then, good news
A dog struggled at a shelter after spending six years with his family — then came good news.
Joey the quirky pup finally got a new owner who understands him, according to a North Carolina animal shelter.
“When Joey arrived, his file read like a cautionary tale: fence-jumper, barky loner, not a fan of storms, strangers, or sudden hand movements. Bit someone once. Okay, fine — twice,” the Watauga Humane Society wrote Sept. 14 on Facebook. “Even his former family admitted he’d be a challenge. On paper? He looked like a handful. In real life? He just needed the right hands.”
Joey was adopted after he landed at the shelter in July. His previous owner had rescued him as a stray six years ago.
“But when her husband fell seriously ill, she found herself unable to keep up with Joey’s needs,” Danielle Deschamps, communications coordinator for the shelter, told McClatchy News via email. “He could be particular and required extra patience, and with so much already on her shoulders, she made the difficult decision to surrender him.”
At the shelter, workers nicknamed the dog Joey Bag O’ Donuts, “a silly, affectionate title for a dog who showed us the tiniest flickers of joy, even while completely shut down.”
“He froze in place, avoided eye contact, and curled himself tightly into the farthest corner of his kennel,” Deschamps wrote. “He flinched at touch, ignored treats, and gave no indication that he was ready to connect.”
Joey got a break from the shelter environment when he went into a foster home. As he got some much-needed rest, his bedhead fur looked “100% mad scientist,” according to a past Facebook post.
Eventually, the shelter said Joey caught the eye of a woman who “saw past the warnings.” Though the pup seemed difficult at first, he just needed time to get accustomed to stairs, toys and other aspects of home life.
The humane society shared the heartwarming news that the woman adopted Joey, now named Bentley. These days, he spends lots of time on the beach and shows off his sassy side.
“She knew it wouldn’t be easy, and that it would take time,” Deschamps wrote. “What she didn’t expect was how quickly he settled in once someone finally saw him for who he was.”
The shelter is in the mountain town of Boone, a roughly 85-mile drive west from Winston-Salem.
This story was originally published September 16, 2025 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Dog struggled in NC shelter after spending 6 years with family. Then, good news."
