Oklahoma Dog Goes On First Walk After Spending Her Life In A Shelter

After spending the first year of her life within the confines of an animal shelter, a “loving and sweet” dog named Daphne finally experienced her very first walk.

The black Labrador mix was just a puppy when she and her siblings were found roaming Seminole, Oklahoma, in early 2023. They were all taken to the Seminole Humane Society where Daphne’s good luck took a turn.

"Her siblings were adopted quickly but Daphne was not," Miriam Kelly from Desiderata Rescue told Newsweek, noting that she was likely overlooked due to her black coat.

"She then got sick with parvo," Kelly said. "She survived but then developed a skin fungus that caused hair loss and she simply was not adoptable while she was being treated for that."

But even after she recovered, Daphne remained "very fearful of the shelter environment." She became nervous and withdrawn and continued to be overlooked by potential adopters. 

Then came the final blow. This past May, Seminole City Council voted to turn Seminole Humane Society over to the city. According to Newsweek, the facility stopped being a no-kill shelter. Staff were given just a few weeks to find placements for long-term stays like Daphne or they would be euthanized.

That’s when Kelly stepped in. Kelly, whose Oklahoma-based Desiderate Rescue helps local shelter pets get adopted in other states, facilitated an adoption for Daphne in Minnesota. 

That adoption ultimately fell through, but she wasn’t giving up.

"Since I had committed to helping Daphne, I decided to take her in myself and find her a home myself," Kelly told Newsweek. 

Since rescuing Daphne, Kelly has been sharing updates on Desiderate Rescue’s social media platforms. A video of Daphne enjoying her first walk got a particularly emotional response. 

“Remember Daphne, the dog that spent her whole life at the shelter since she was a puppy?” Kelly wrote alongside a screenshot from the video on Facebook. “Today she got to take her first walk ever!! She's only known her kennel and the small play yard at the shelter until now.”

Kelly told Newsweek that Daphne was “a bit overwhelmed with everything at first but now she plays non-stop.”

"I still have to keep her leashed or on a tie-out line since she still gets scared when I approach her but once I get a grip on her, she is very loving and sweet,” she added. “She definitely loves being outside."

Kelly is determined to help find Daphne the home she deserves. One that is kind, patient, and understanding.

"She has been great with dogs of all sizes, even tiny puppies, as well as with cats but since she likes to play, a dog her size would be best," she told Newsweek. "Her humans would need to be patient and understand that she's not going to be all over them giving them kisses right away. It can take dogs three months to fully feel at home in a new place, so patience is key."