Shelter Dog ‘Mistaken as Scary’ Doesn’t Know Why Humans Leave When She Wants Them To Stay - Yahoo

What the report says

DogTime reported on July 18, 2026, that a 3-year-old mixed-breed shelter dog named Susan is drawing attention online after Orange County Animal Services shared an emotional Instagram video showing how she is often misunderstood in her kennel. According to the report, Susan can appear intimidating to visitors because she charges the kennel gate and growls in the noisy shelter environment, behavior the post frames as anxiety-driven barrier reactivity rather than aggression.

The video described by DogTime shows Susan barking while a volunteer kneels outside her kennel, with on-screen text suggesting she does not understand why people leave when she wants them to stay. Once outside the kennel, the report says, her behavior changes noticeably: she cuddles with a volunteer, enjoys belly rubs and back scratches, and runs across a grassy yard.

DogTime said the shelter’s message emphasized that Susan is healthy and “unseen,” with the post seeking to show her personality beyond the stress of confinement. The article also noted that online viewers responded with supportive comments and shared the post in hopes of helping her find a foster or adoptive home.

The story highlights a common challenge for shelter animals: dogs may behave differently behind kennel barriers than they do in calmer spaces, which can affect how potential adopters perceive them. While the article does not provide details about Susan’s full adoption status or any formal behavior assessment, it presents the shelter video as an effort to give visitors a fuller view of her temperament.