A 71-Pound Dog Lost Her Owner and Home-Now Just Wants to Be a Lap Dog

After her owner died, a dog was released outside, where she wandered alone through a neighborhood she once called home until help arrived.

Dorotha, roughly 3 years old, was taken in by the SPCA of Wake County on June 3 after being found outside fending for herself following her owner’s death. Mady Thielemann, marketing and communications specialist at the shelter, told Newsweek that the team does not know who originally released her outside, but Dorotha wandered the neighborhood, confused and disoriented, for about a week as neighbors worked together to keep her safe and find help.

Thielemann said one neighbor kept her temporarily on a chain in the yard to prevent her from wandering into danger, but no one could bring her in fully. Neighbors also contacted local animal shelters and rescues in hopes of finding her a placement. Dorotha had a brief stint at the humane society before being transferred to the SPCA of Wake County.

Now, Dorotha awaits a second chance in a new home. The SPCA of Wake County shared her rescue story in a June 9 Facebook post, saying that despite weighing 71 pounds, she is a lap dog at heart and needs a new family who will let her be exactly that again.

But after spending a week without a home, Dorotha faced another challenge: adjusting to life at the shelter.

“She has been very friendly, but also very scared, which is probably very fair after her experience,” Thielemann said.

Thielemann added that Dorotha had spent her entire life as a house dog, making the sudden loss of her owner and familiar surroundings especially difficult. When she arrived at the shelter, she was visibly frightened, pacing, panting and repeatedly trying to retreat.

At one point, she tried lying down in the road and rolled onto her back, making it difficult for staff to guide her inside, which they understood, as Thielemann described her being thrown into a foreign world.

Healthwise, staff had early concerns about her slightly underweight frame and a dull, oily coat consistent with stress and time spent outdoors. Even in the safety of a shelter, Dorotha became “too depressed to eat.”

Fortunately, Dorotha’s outlook has improved since settling into the shelter. Staff quickly learned she is deeply affectionate, writing in the Facebook post that she enjoys nothing more than climbing next to someone on the couch and putting her head in their hands while they watch TV.

That sweet personality has already caught the attention of potential adopters.

“She is currently on a pet sleepover with a potential adopter that will end on the 20th,” Thielemann said. “So far, I think it’s going really well.”

The SPCA of Wake County sleepover program allows prospective adopters to take a dog home for five nights before making a final decision, helping ensure it is the right fit for both the pet and family.

For shelter staff, Dorotha’s story is a reminder of how quickly a pet’s circumstances can change and the importance of having a plan in place for their care.

Thielemann said that the SPCA branch also offers a “Peace of Mind” program, in which owners can designate the shelter as a future caregiver for their pets through estate planning documents, guaranteeing their safety.

“This does not have to happen,” she said, referring to cases where pets are left without a clear plan after an owner’s death. “There is an option.”

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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 2:07 PM.