Foster Dog 'Terrified' of Human Contact but Desperate To Be Loved

A rescue dog who was so terrified of human contact yet still desperate to be loved has left the internet trying—and failing—to fight back tears.

As a volunteer for BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions, Brianna Magana, 30, meets countless dogs who have gone through pain and need a loving home. Indeed, at a Halloween event last month, one dog in particular, named Holly, made a real impact on Magana and she couldn't possibly leave without her.

During that first encounter, Holly was too scared to get close, but she was desperate for affection. Seeing how nervous and scared Holly was to be around people broke Magana's heart, and she knew she wanted to show this poor pup that humans can be good after all. She told Newsweek that fostering Holly was one of the easiest decisions, as she knew without a doubt that she "wanted to be Holly's foster mom."

On November 1, Magana, of Houston, Texas, shared a video on TikTok (@bristexastails) showing how frightened Holly was during their first meeting. Magana added in the caption alongside the video that it was obvious "someone was so unkind" to Holly in the past, causing her to be petrified of what people could do.

The video broke hearts online, leading to more than 2.7 million views and over 484,200 likes already.

From left: Holly in the shelter scared of people, and right in her foster home. Holly was so nervous to get close to people before finding love with her foster owner. @bristexastails / TikTok

"She was terrified but also wanted affection. I could tell she wanted me to pet her, but she was very unsure if I was going to be nice to her or not," Magana told Newsweek. "It took about two days for her to trust me and understand that I wasn't going to hurt her."

Holly, who was found as a stray, spent nine days in the shelter before being chosen by Pippy's Pals Rescue, a non-profit organization that helps animals at risk of euthanasia. Magana offered to take Holly until they found a permanent adopter to give her the loving forever home she deserves.

In the days after being fostered, Holly completely transformed and grew in confidence, as she finally learned how good people can be.

Magana said: "She is doing great now. Our other dogs have helped her open up so much, and she has the best personality.

"Fostering is so rewarding because you are the bridge to the rescue dog's forever home. It is so important to foster because it frees a space for another dog at the shelter, and it allows the rescue to learn more about them and see exactly what their perfect home would be."

The viral TikTok video showed just how far Holly has come since being fostered, as footage shows how much she's thriving now, and she can also be seen playing with her foster siblings.

Magana has been amazed by the positive response to the video, and she's glad that Holly's story could touch so many hearts.

"Since posting Holly online, I have seen just how many people genuinely do care about animals and I am so glad Holly's story has been able to inspire people to adopt. Houston has a huge problem with strays, and unfortunately it means a lot of dogs are euthanized because there aren't enough homes for them," Magana said.

With over 7,300 comments on the viral TikTok video at the time of writing, many internet users praised Holly's remarkable transformation and thanked Magana for giving her a new lease of life.

One comment reads: "Rescue dogs give you a whole other type of love, it's beautiful."

Another TikTok user wrote: "Thank you for changing her life."

"Thank you for giving her the life she deserves," wrote one TikToker.

While another person commented: "Wow those clips made me cry. She has a loving home with you now."

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