05/30/2026
💔 Special Needs: Deaf 💔
Bhoot is a 1-year-old Pit Bull mix, and if there is one thing we wish people could understand about her, it's that she never asked for any of this.
At just a year old, she should be spending her days learning, playing, and discovering the world with a family by her side. Instead, she has spent much of her young life being passed from place to place, never knowing where she truly belongs.
Her journey with us began when her owner was incarcerated and she was taken in by animal control. A neighbor expressed interest in adopting her, so we stepped in to pull her from animal control and help facilitate what we hoped would be a happy ending. We thought Bhoot had finally caught a break.
Then came the phone call.
Just a month later, we learned that Bhoot had been surrendered to another shelter by someone entirely different and had already landed on their euthanasia list. Thankfully, we had microchipped her during the brief time she was with us. That tiny chip is the only reason she made it back to safety. Without it, her story could have ended before it ever really had a chance to begin.
When Bhoot returned to our care, we began learning more about her needs. We discovered that she is deaf, something that likely contributed to some of the challenges she has faced. Deaf dogs navigate the world differently. They can't hear people approaching, can't hear reassurance in a gentle voice, and often depend heavily on routine, visual communication, and trust to feel secure.
We also learned that Bhoot is not comfortable around other animals and would do best as the only pet in her home. She needs a family that can safely manage her environment and continue helping her build confidence and stability.
Despite these challenges, there is another side to Bhoot that so many people never get the opportunity to see.
Once she trusts you- and it doesn’t take much- Bhoot is incredibly affectionate. She loves attention, seeks out affection from her people, and has a goofy, loving personality that shines through outside of the kennel. She enjoys spending time with her humans, soaking up pets, and simply being near the people she loves. There is a sweet, sensitive dog hiding beneath the stress and frustration she displays in the shelter environment.
Unfortunately, shelter life has been especially hard on her. The constant movement, reactive dogs, unfamiliar people, and lack of stability create an overwhelming environment for a dog who already struggles to process the world around her. We watch her become more stressed, more frustrated, and more shut down as time goes on. The dog we see during walks and one-on-one time is often very different from the dog people meet through kennel bars.
What Bhoot needs most is something we cannot fully provide here: a calm place to decompress, a predictable routine, and a person willing to invest in her future. She needs someone who understands that trust takes time, that progress isn't always linear, and that some of the most rewarding dogs are the ones who need a little extra help along the way.
Bhoot is not a beginner dog, and we want to be honest about that. She will need an experienced owner who is prepared to work with her unique needs as a deaf dog and manage her interactions with other animals appropriately. But we also believe she is worth that effort.
Because at the end of the day, Bhoot isn't a "problem dog." She's a young dog who has lost every sense of stability she ever knew. She's a dog who has been moved, surrendered, misunderstood, and nearly lost her life. Yet somehow, she still greets the people she trusts with love and affection.
We have fought for Bhoot twice already. Now we're hoping someone out there is willing to fight for her future.
She deserves to know what it feels like to finally be home.
Interested in adoption? Consider filling out an application: https://new.shelterluv.com/matchme/adopt/CPAC/Dog
Claws & Paws Animal Adoption Center
Lebanon, Mo
www.clawsandpawsaac.com
417-532-9671
