Dog Who Spent 4 Years Alone in a Small Outdoor Cage Finds a Family Dedicated to Loving Him 24/7

Before his adoption, Timothy the dog was living in a pen with nothing to do but pace back and forth

After four years stuck outside by himself, Timothy is loving with a doting family.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) helped the dog find his new home. The organization learned about Timothy over four years ago when PETA fieldworkers spotted the dog stuck in a small chainlink fence enclosure in the yard of a North Carolina home.

According to a release from PETA, fieldworkers monitored Timothy from puppyhood into adulthood, the entirety of which Timothy spent in his bare outdoor pen, pacing back and forth. During the four years that PETA fieldworkers kept an eye on Timothy, they regularly talked to Timothy's owner and tried convincing them to relinquish the canine.

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For years, the pet parent refused to remove Timothy from his outdoor pen or surrender the pet to PETA for adoption. In response, PETA fieldworkers continued their visits, during which they spent time giving Timothy attention.

In 2024, four years after PETA first met Timothy, the dog's former owner agreed to surrender the pup to PETA so the organization could find him a home that offered him a fuller life.

Timothy spent a few weeks with a foster, who made sure to shower the dog with affection, space, and plenty of activities. After adjusting to life outside his old pen, Timothy moved to Syracuse, New York, to meet his forever family.

Lori and Michael, Timothy's new parents, greeted the dog with big smiles and a homemade sign. The couple told PETA their hearts "melted" for the dog once they heard his story. They plan to treat their new pet to lots of adventures, including hiking and camping.

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"Timothy has found a loving home, but countless other dogs like him remain penned or chained outside 24/7 without adequate food, water, shelter, or social interaction," PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch said in a statement. "PETA urges everyone to keep dogs indoors with the rest of the family and to talk with their elected officials about banning unattended tethering, which will help ensure that these sensitive animals aren't kept chained outside 24/7 like old bicycles."

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