Senior dog ‘trembles’ in shelter after being hit by car. The ‘sweet’ pup needs a home
A senior dog was hit by a car — then came a moment of “unexpected kindness.”
“Life could have taken a tragic turn — but fate had a different plan,” a North Carolina animal shelter wrote on Facebook. “The man who struck her didn’t just drive away. He stopped. He carried her to safety and held her through her pain. And when he realized he couldn’t keep her, he made sure she had a fighting chance.”
The 10-year-old pup was rushed to an emergency veterinarian, who found she had altered vision and a “severely bruised bladder” after the crash. The dog, named White Cheddar Popcorn, landed at the Watauga Humane Society in early February.
“Now, Popcorn waits — not for pity, but for love,” the animal organization wrote. “The shelter is loud, and she trembles, but she still leans into every touch, soaking up kindness like the golden, buttery treasure she is.”
As of early Feb. 11, Popcorn was up for adoption. She has become known as a “sweet” mixed-breed pup who’s “so scared that it’s hard for her true self to shine,” the shelter wrote in an online adoption profile and an email to McClatchy News.
“When I sat with her, she was trembling, but she leaned into my hand so fiercely that it broke my heart to leave her kennel,” Danielle Deschamps, communications coordinator for the humane society, wrote in the email. “You can tell she’s deeply grateful, despite everything she’s been through.”
Deschamps said being hit by a car “definitely shook” Popcorn and believes the crash could be making her shy. The rescued pup is receiving medication and pain management as she waits for a new home.
“Popcorn won’t ask for much,” the shelter wrote. “She’s past the days of zoomies and chewed-up sneakers. All she needs is a quiet corner, a gentle hand, and a heart willing to make room for one resilient senior girl.”
The humane society is in the mountain town of Boone, a roughly 85-mile drive west from Winston-Salem. Details about the shelter’s adoption process can be found at wataugahumane.org.
This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Senior dog ‘trembles’ in shelter after being hit by car. The ‘sweet’ pup needs a home."
