A dog that faced challenges adapting to life in a North Carolina shelter after six years with his family has found a new home, according to the Watauga Humane Society.
Joey, described by shelter staff as having a complicated history, was adopted after arriving at the shelter in July. “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 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.”
The dog’s previous owner had rescued him as a stray six years ago but could no longer care for him when her husband became seriously ill. Danielle Deschamps, communications coordinator for the shelter, said via email that Joey required extra patience and attention that became too much under her circumstances. “But when her husband fell seriously ill, she found herself unable to keep up with Joey’s needs,” Deschamps said. “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 first, Joey showed signs of distress at the shelter and was slow to engage with staff or respond to affection or treats. Workers gave him the nickname Joey Bag O’ Donuts as they observed small moments of happiness even while he remained withdrawn. “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.”
After some time in foster care outside the shelter environment—where staff noted his disheveled appearance—Joey began to show improvement.
Eventually, he attracted interest from an adopter who saw potential beyond his challenging profile. The woman took time helping Joey adapt to living in a home again and supported him as he learned about stairs and toys.
The humane society announced that this adopter officially welcomed Joey—now called Bentley—into her home where he now spends time at the beach and displays more personality each day.
“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 Watauga Humane Society is located in Boone in western North Carolina.
