Chained dog was ‘alone and forgotten.’ Now rescued, ‘gentle’ pup needs a home
A chained dog was “alone and forgotten” — but now, he’s “eager to belong.”
The pup, named Pepperoni Pizza Slice, has been waiting 101 days at a North Carolina shelter.
“While he’s still bright-eyed and hopeful, this is when long stays begin to leave their mark, when dogs like him become harder to adopt through no fault of their own,” Danielle Deschamps, communications coordinator for the Watauga Humane Society, told McClatchy News in an Aug. 22 email.
The shelter in the mountain town of Boone, a roughly 85-mile drive west from Winston-Salem, said dogs typically spend about 40 days in its care. But Pepperoni still needs a home months after he arrived in May.
“His story begins with heartbreak,” Deschamps wrote. “A group of tourists stumbled upon him tied to a tree outside their vacation rental, alone, barking, and clearly in distress. There was no one around. Just a dog, abandoned and waiting for someone who wasn’t coming back.”
Eventually, the owner of the rental property rescued Pepperoni. She let him stay with her while the shelter prepared for his arrival.
“In that short time he learned what comfort feels like — a safe routine, soft blankets (sometimes with a chew or two), and the joy of sprinting outside before curling back into his favorite spot,” the humane society wrote in a Facebook post.
At the shelter, the 5-year-old pup has become known for his resilient and curious nature. He’s also described as well-behaved with a “gentle soul.”
“He knows ‘sit’ and ‘lay down,’ rides peacefully in the car, and dashes out into the rain without hesitation — then returns to his bed like it’s the one place he knows is his,” Deschamps wrote. “He startles at new sights and sounds, but that’s to be expected.”
As of Aug. 22, the shelter’s website still listed the mixed-breed dog among the animals available for adoption. Details about the humane society’s adoption process can be found at wataugahumane.org.
This story was originally published August 22, 2025 at 12:35 PM with the headline "Chained dog was ‘alone and forgotten.’ Now rescued, ‘gentle’ pup needs a home."
