Heartbroken dog keeps getting passed by at shelter, but he has his favorite toy
While a shelter in Indiana pleads for people to take a second to stop and love on a particular dog, he takes comfort in his emotional support toy.
But it can only do so much.
“We’ve begged, pleaded, hoped. And still, he’s here,” the Humane Society for Hamilton County in Fishers said in an Aug. 28 Facebook post. “Watching people walk by. Waiting for someone to stop.”
Meet Axel, one of the shelter’s longtime residents. He’s a 3-year-old terrier, pit bull mix with a huge heart to match his huge brain.
“Young, smart, and bursting with go-time energy, Axel lives for brain games and fun,” his pet profile says. “Puzzle feeders, scent work, new tricks, let’s do it! He also loves a kiddie pool for a good paw-dip, and he is a bubble-chasing champ who will make you laugh every time.”
Regardless of all that, he still waits. However, he waits with his chew toy.
“Through all the noise and heartbreak, there’s been one thing keeping him going: a specific brand of toy. He carries it like a baby. He chews it when he’s nervous. He rests his head on it when he needs comfort. It’s not just a toy. It’s the one thing helping him hang on,” the shelter said.
“We told the toy company about Axel and how much their toy has meant to him in these tough months. They sent him brand new ones, just for him. Because they saw what we see: that he matters.”
The shelter thanked Playology Pets for Axel’s gifts, but it understands that along with his favorite toy, the sweet pup needs a home to curl up with it in.
“But a toy can only do so much. What Axel needs now is a person. A soft bed. A break from this place. He doesn’t need you to be perfect. He just needs someone to care,” the shelter said.
According to Axel’s pet profile, it would be best if he is the only pet in the house so he doesn’t have to share the spotlight and will thrive with an adult/teen environment.
“Axel has been overlooked, but once you meet him you’ll wonder how,” his profile says.
For more information, visit the shelter’s website.
Fishers is about a 20-mile drive northeast from Indianapolis.
This story was originally published August 29, 2025 at 12:48 PM with the headline "Heartbroken dog keeps getting passed by at shelter, but he has his favorite toy."