The explosion in unwanted pets has lead to something of a crisis for animal care providers. Countless animals of all ages are either abandoned or given up by owners, yet many people will choose to buy a pet from unscrupulous breeders instead of visiting a shelter. The heartwarming story of Freya shows that there may be hope for the many lonely animals stuck in animal shelters.
Freya was taken to the Freshfields Animal Rescue of LIverpool when she was just six months old. She is a Staffordshire bull terrier mix, so her appearance ended up looking a little unconventional. Her mottled brown and black coat meant that appearance-obsessed pet owners were not interested in adopting her. Pit bulls unfairly have the stereotype of being violent, so Freya’s lineage scared away more potential pet owners. As she got older and older, Freya was passed over by people who wanted to adopt cute little puppies instead. Sadly, Freya was also diagnosed with epilepsy, so owners who might have otherwise been interested despite her appearance and breed did not think they would be able to take care of her.
With four traits that many pet owners avoid, the chances of Freya’s adoption seemed slim. According to the statistics of Freshfields Animal Rescue, over 18,000 people passed Freya over while looking for a dog to adopt. If she had been in a shelter that euthanizes unwanted pets, Freya would have been put down years ago. Fortunately for her, this shelter was different, so Freya lived at the rescue shelter for six years. Though she did not have an owner to love her, Freya at least had a place to stay and be fed.
Staffers at the shelter say that she is a friendly and sweet dog, but they were starting to think that Freya would stay at the shelter her whole life. The Deputy Kennel Manager, Kate Jones, said, “she has been here many years and is constantly overlooked, which breaks our hearts as we adore her…she is a beautiful girl, so loving and friendly.” Kate’s hopes for Freya finally came true after the story of the dog’s sad plight went viral on the internet.
After an article on the Mirror shared Freya’s story, people in both the United Kingdom and United States started looking for a home for Freya. Unfortunately, a lot of people knew they could not give Freya a good home because they could not afford the medication and monthly tests needed for her condition. So MIchael Bay, the Hollywood director famous for the Transformers movie series, stepped up for Freya.
On his Twitter account, Bay explained that he is taking in Freya so she can act in the latest Transformers movie, Transformers: The Last Knight. Bay hopes that if Freya becomes a movie star, she will be able to finally find an owner who will care for her. However, if no one is still interested in Freya, Bay says that there is no chance of her being sent back to the shelter. Bay says that he will be happy to keep taking care of Freya and become her owner if she needs him still.