Rocco the German Shepherd left a ‘nervous wreck’ after cruel owner dumped him at an animal shelter because she was pregnant – The Sun

HEARTBREAKING footage shows a German Shephard cowering in fear after being dumped by his owners because they were expecting a baby.

Rocco, 3, was left a “nervous wreck” after being abandoned at the Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center in Texas.

But the mutt’s luck began to change when an animal lover at the shelter filmed him looking underweight and frightened inside his kennel.

After the clip was posted online, Preethi Pillaipakkam, who fosters dogs, decided to care for the poor pooch and try to find him a loving home.

Preethi works for DFW German Shepherd Rescue – a volunteer organisation which looks after stranded hounds from across Texas.

She told The Dodo she was shocked that a family would give him up simply because they were having a child.

HUNGRY AND ALONE

Preethi continued: “But once I saw how underfed he was, it did not surprise me. It is probably a combination of change in family situation, plus not [being] the best owners in the first place.”

The dog lover said that Rocco should have to weighed around 90 lbs but was around 30lbs underweight.

Preethi said the hound was nervous when she took him home.

She said: “The shelter is certainly not the environment for a dog like Rocco.

“He was very timid and scared to get into the car. He even hid beneath the seat in the car. He was pacing a bit and seemed very stressed.”

Canines become stressed in shelters because of the sudden change in environment, according to the Centre for Shelter Dogs.

Dog anxiety can manifest in many ways and result in the mutts becoming more aggressive, pacing around and can also lead to increased barking and drooling, the American Kennel Club says.

Preethi said Rocco slowly became used to her home and her other German Shepherd Katja.

She said: “He loves the couches and his doggy beds, and he really likes squeaky toys and tennis balls. He is a really good fetcher.”

“He was a bit aloof in the beginning but now he follows me around like a shadow.”

Since the video clip of Rocco went viral, his Instagram page has gained nearly 7,000 followers and dozens of adoption requests.

Preethi said: “Ideally, we would like to see Rocco placed in a new home around mid-September. We wanted to give him at least a week or two [here first] to ensure he feels safe.”

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