Diary of a Shelter Dog: Dude's Story

Diary of a Shelter Dog: Dude's Story Dear Diary,

It’s me—Dude. About Me 🐾
Hi, I’m Dude—a shelter dog with a big heart, a long story, and a dream of finding my forever home.

If you’re reading this, you’re officially part of Team Dude, which means your job is to help me find my forever home (and maybe cheer me on while I wait). I’ve been at Hancock County Animal Shelter since May 24, 2024 (yep, over 300 days and counting), and while I’m still waiting, I haven’t given up hope. I’m a loyal, handsome goofball who loves:
✨ Sniffing out adventure
✨ Catching treats like a ch

amp
✨ Quiet snuggles with people I trust
✨ Day trips, pup cups, and the occasional chicken nugget

New places and faces can make me a little nervous at first, but with patience and kindness, I’ll show you just how sweet and smart I really am. Follow along as I share my daily diary entries, adventures, and shelter life moments—because maybe tomorrow’s the day I find my forever human.



Disclaimer:
This page is managed independently and is intended for entertainment and community engagement purposes only. The views, opinions, and content shared on this page do not necessarily reflect the official policies, positions, or endorsements of the Hancock County Commission, the Hancock County Animal Shelter, or any affiliated governmental entities. All content is unofficial and should not be interpreted as representing the official stance of the County or Shelter.

Dear Diary,Life in my forever home is pretty pawsome—belly rubs on demand, couch privileges, and a pack that actually ge...
07/01/2025

Dear Diary,

Life in my forever home is pretty pawsome—belly rubs on demand, couch privileges, and a pack that actually gets me. Oh, and guess what?

I just got my DNA test results back. 🧬
Yup—turns out I’m not just a handsome face and a heart of gold… I’m also a glorious mix of surprise ingredients. My shelter humans had a blast trying to guess what breeds I’m made of, and now it’s your turn!

Take a look at this face 👇
Drop your best guesses below—winner gets bragging rights and possibly a virtual high five from me.

The big reveal is coming soon…
Maybe tomorrow’s the day you guess it right. 🐾

Dear Diary,You’re not gonna believe this…That photo? That’s not just squad goals anymore—That’s my FAMILY.After 336 days...
05/11/2025

Dear Diary,

You’re not gonna believe this…

That photo? That’s not just squad goals anymore—
That’s my FAMILY.

After 336 days, so many pup cups, head tilts, and hopeful posts… I finally found my forever home. And the best part? I didn’t just get a person—I got a whole pack.

Don’t worry, I’m not going far. I’ll still pop in with updates now and then (especially if there are nuggets involved), but for now… I’m passing the paw on this diary to my shelter friend, Bud!

He’s got a lot to say and a heart just as big as mine. So give him a follow, cheer him on, and help him find his happily ever after too.

Today was finally the day.

Dear Diary,You won’t believe this—there’s a whole event happening to help shelter pets like me! It’s called the Lend a P...
05/06/2025

Dear Diary,

You won’t believe this—there’s a whole event happening to help shelter pets like me! It’s called the Lend a Paw Fundraiser, and I might even make a special appearance if I can tear myself away from my napping schedule. (Just kidding. I’ll totally show up if snacks are involved.)

Here’s the scoop:
June 7, 2025 | 12–6 PM
Weirton Event Center
3322 East St, Weirton, WV

There will be:
• Food trucks
• Vendors
• Raffles
• Pet-friendly fun
• And maybe even… me!

We have a pawsome volunteer organizing the whole event to raise money for my shelter buddies, and I’m pretty sure that makes them a superhero in disguise.

Vendors and sponsors are still welcome—so if you’ve got tasty treats, cool stuff to sell, or just a big heart and a business card, we’d love to have you! Check out the link for the details.

Oh—and friendly reminder: this is a pet-friendly event, so bring your pup (as long as they’re cool with crowds and not the barky bossy type).

I’ll be saving a head tilt and tail wag for everyone who shows up to support.
Maybe June 7th is the day.



https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fn9yYcrLn/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Dear Diary,Don’t forget—tonight’s the night!Order your McDonald’s dinner through the app between 4–7 PM to help support ...
05/06/2025

Dear Diary,

Don’t forget—tonight’s the night!
Order your McDonald’s dinner through the app between 4–7 PM to help support my shelter fam at Hancock County Animal Shelter!

And if you’re stopping by in person, bring a couple dollars in cash for some pies—because dessert that helps animals? YES PLEASE.

I’ll be over here daydreaming about burgers, fries, and maybe… just maybe… a forever home to go with them.

Maybe tonight’s the night.

Dear Diary,You know my crazy content creator? Yeah—she was up to something again tonight. Said we were just going for a ...
05/02/2025

Dear Diary,

You know my crazy content creator? Yeah—she was up to something again tonight. Said we were just going for a walk… but next thing I know, we’re at McDonald’s, and there’s a sign—literally!

Turns out, they’re doing a fundraiser for the shelter! Like, actual burgers for a cause. Obviously, I took my modeling duties very seriously and posed next to the big board with the QR code you need to scan to download the app to order. (You’re welcome, humans.)

We tried to get a photo by the big sign outside too, but I got a little distracted by all the delicious smells coming from inside. Sooo… we just have a pic of the flyer. Priorities, okay?

Anyway, here’s the scoop:
McDonald’s Fundraiser for Hancock County Animal Shelter
Tuesday, May 6th | 4–7 PM
234 Three Springs Drive, Weirton, WV

How to help us:
• 25% of all digital app sales during the event go directly to help me and my shelter buddies!
• Cash-only pie donations available on-site—because dessert should always save lives.

Ways to order:
• Curbside
• Delivery via the McDonald’s App
• Dine-In, To-Go, or Drive-Thru (just use the app code!)
• Ready on Arrival Pick-Up

So grab your phone, your appetite, and your love for shelter pets. Let’s turn fries into forever homes.

Maybe tomorrow’s the day.

Dear Diary,Okay, okay—tonight’s post isn’t about snacks, zoomies, or wild adventures (tragic, I know).But the humans say...
05/01/2025

Dear Diary,

Okay, okay—tonight’s post isn’t about snacks, zoomies, or wild adventures (tragic, I know).
But the humans say I have to share some “legal jargon.” Sounds official, right?

📜 Official Unofficial Announcement:
This page? 100% me. My thoughts, my diary, my dramatic sighs, my hotdog wins.
It’s managed independently and meant for entertainment and community engagement only.
The things I bark about here don’t necessarily reflect the official views of Hancock County, the shelter, employees, or any very serious humans in government buildings.

And just so everything’s crystal clear—
💌 Any contact info listed (like emails, addresses, or Linktree links) is for the Hancock County Animal Shelter, not my personal paw-mail.

Want the full scoop? You can find the complete disclaimer under the “About” section of this page in the Legal Info (that’s called the Impressum—fancy word, huh?).

Now that we got that out of the way…
Can someone toss me a treat and let me get back to being adorable?

Maybe tomorrow’s the day.

05/01/2025
Dear Diary,Well… today didn’t go exactly as planned.I had a visitor—a really nice human who had been following my story ...
04/27/2025

Dear Diary,

Well… today didn’t go exactly as planned.

I had a visitor—a really nice human who had been following my story and wanted to take me home. But sometimes, even when hearts are in the right place, it’s just not the right match. And that’s okay. My perfect person is still out there. I just know it.

In a surprise twist of fate, my crazy content creator lady swooped in and said, "Nope, you're not going back to the kennel tonight."
So guess what?
I'm having another sleepover at her house! (10/10, would recommend.)

If you’re thinking about coming to meet me soon (and you totally should), please call ahead!
I might be chilling on a couch somewhere, living my best life, and will need to get a ride to come say hi.

Still waiting. Still hopeful.
Maybe tomorrow’s the day.

Temporary address: Couch Town, USA

Dear Diary,This morning, I had an important job—helping clean the cages at Pet Supplies Plus. (Pretty sure they hired me...
04/26/2025

Dear Diary,

This morning, I had an important job—helping clean the cages at Pet Supplies Plus. (Pretty sure they hired me for my good looks and expert sniffing skills.)

I had a blast sniffing all the new smells, checking out the aisles, and seriously investigating those refrigerators that kept making weird noises. (I still don’t trust them. Very suspicious.)

But the biggest news of the day?
I approached two of the team members all on my own—and I even let one walk me around a little while my human cleaned!

For a guy who used to be too nervous to say hello, this was a HUGE step.
I’m learning that new friends aren’t so scary after all. Maybe the world isn’t, either.

One small paw step closer to my forever home.
Maybe tomorrow’s the day.

I have a very important announcement to share. 📣The shelter where I live—where I’ve been waiting for 336 days—is making ...
04/26/2025

I have a very important announcement to share. 📣

The shelter where I live—where I’ve been waiting for 336 days—is making some big changes. Starting soon, stray animals without identification (like a microchip or a collar with a current phone number) might not have a guaranteed spot here if the shelter is full.

I got lucky. I arrived before these changes, which meant I had time—time to heal, time to trust, and time to hope for my forever family (still waiting, by the way). But not every lost pet will get that same chance moving forward. 💔

🐾 Make sure your pets are microchipped.
🐾 Keep collars and tags updated with your current phone number.
🐾 Have a backup plan if your pet ever gets loose.

This could truly mean the difference between getting home safely and having nowhere to go.

These are just the current changes—but more updates might be coming soon. So now, more than ever, it’s important to keep your pets safe, identified, and close to home.

ANNOUNCEMENT: IMPORTANT CHANGES TO SHELTER ADMISSIONS & HOURS

It breaks our hearts to share this update, but effective immediately, Hancock County Animal Shelter is no longer an open-door admission shelter.

Due to new capacity limits, updated regulations, and staffing constraints, we must now operate under the following guidelines:

🐾 We can no longer accept birds, reptiles, bunnies, pocket pets, or livestock of any kind.

🐾 Our dog housing capacity is limited to 28 dogs.

Once full, any additional dog surrenders will be placed on a waitlist until a space becomes available.

🐾 Our cat housing capacity is limited to 25 adult cats and 2 litters of kittens.

Once at capacity, any additional cats or kittens will also be waitlisted.

🐾 We can no longer accept unsocialized or feral cats.

Our feral cat/TNR (trap-neuter-return) program has been discontinued.

We cannot trap or intake cats who are not friendly or adoptable.

🐾 New intake requirements for all surrenders:

A copy of your most recent utility bill and a current, valid driver’s license or photo ID — both showing a HANCOCK COUNTY address — are now mandatory.

Without these items, we will not be able to accept your surrender.

Unfortunately, this also means if you have previously adopted from us and are no longer able to keep your pet you will need to go to your local shelter. We will not be able to take returns if you are not a county resident. We will write you a release to the rescue or shelter of your choice.

🐾 Updated Public Hours:

We are now open to the public only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 12 PM to 4 PM.

Adoptions, meet-and-greets, surrenders, and other visits are during these times.

❗️Important Reminder:
Shelter staff have no control over these changes.
We are heartbroken too.
Please be kind to our employees — they are doing their best under these new restrictions.

If you have concerns about these changes, please direct them to the Hancock County Commission Office at 304-564-3311.

Dear Diary,Today I became an explorer. We went to Blackwater Falls—and let me tell you, it’s a long way down… and an eve...
04/26/2025

Dear Diary,

Today I became an explorer. We went to Blackwater Falls—and let me tell you, it’s a long way down… and an even longer way back up. I’m basically a professional stair climber now. Might add it to my resume.

But it was so worth it.
I was obsessed with the waterfall. I mean, have you seen that thing?! I even tried to press my whole face through the fence to get a closer look. (Would’ve gone swimming too, but apparently that’s "frowned upon." Rude.)

One day, I hope my forever human will take me back—no leash, no hurry, just us and the sound of the falls.

Maybe tomorrow’s the day.

Dear Diary,Hey Gremlin and Leo—guess what?! I finally got my own hotdog! (Took long enough, right?) No sharing, no drool...
04/25/2025

Dear Diary,

Hey Gremlin and Leo—guess what?! I finally got my own hotdog! (Took long enough, right?) No sharing, no drool battles, just me and my very own delicious masterpiece.

But you know what would make it even better?
Sharing it with my forever human.

I’m saving the empty seat—and the second hotdog—for them.
Gremlin and Leo found their families… maybe I’m next.

Maybe tomorrow’s the day.

Address

New Cumberland, WV

Opening Hours

Tuesday 12pm - 4pm
Thursday 12pm - 4pm
Saturday 12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+13043874102

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