Hearts have broken for a shelter dog who has completely shut down from the world around him.
Animal rescue worker Helga, 35, has been helping to find homes for animals in need for 16 years, "networking forgotten underdogs who have no chance otherwise of making it out of overflowing shelters," she said. "Thanks to shares on social media, I've saved the lives of hundreds of dogs."
Helga, who gave her first name only, has gone viral after sharing the story of Ollie, found as a stray and brought to a shelter in Madera, California, where thanks to overcrowding, "shelter dogs are not promised tomorrow."
"When I saw Ollie, my heart sunk in my chest. I instantly went into his kennel, where he trembled at every touch," she said. "Space is [shelter dogs'] number one enemy, and I knew Ollie was next."
In a video to her TikTok account @crittersandcrystals on December 18, which has over 277,000 views, Ollie lies on a concrete floor, ignoring a bed with a blanket, and looks utterly depressed, as Helga described it as "the reality of a dog who knows they lost everything."
His ears drooping and his eyes opened, but distant, he stares out of the kennel before looking back at Helga briefly, and he then returns to staring, this time, at the wall.
The video, almost two minutes long, shows Ollie at different times, often in his kennel avoiding the outside world, and at one point accepting pats from Helga, but shivering as she rubs him.
He allows her to pet him while he eats from a food bowl, which she says shows he "doesn't have a mean bone in his body," and eventually she says she carried the scared, underweight dog out for fresh air and exercise.
Helga said Ollie is more "shut down" than any dog she's ever seen, and wrote: "Somewhere beneath the neglected coat is a loyal companion. Please help me prevent his story from ending here."
Ollie is one of millions of animals living in shelters across the United States. Each year, around 6.3 million animals — 3.1 million dogs and 3.2 million cats — enter shelters across the country, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
TikTok users were moved by Ollie's story, with some showing interest in adopting him and others offering to pay the adoption fee for anyone who takes Ollie into their home.
Others shared their heartbreak for the pup, as one wrote: "It doesn't matter how many times I see animals like this. They all touch my soul differently and I want to cry."
"If I ever get rich I'm getting an island and ALL the Ollies in the world," another declared.
Helga told Newsweek she has been trying everything to get Ollie out of his shell, but so far has been unsuccessful.
"Ollie needs a special home. This boy is terrified of everything," she said, and spoke plainly to any potential adopter: "He isn't the type of dog you bring home and let out in your backyard. Ollie is going to need weeks, months, and maybe years to come out of his shell. He's going to need someone who loves him for who he is, no matter what the outcome."
But she's not giving up on him, and revealed she is "on call" with the shelter — and if they need more space, "I'll make room and pick him up to foster him while we continue to seek the perfect home."
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