By Jack Beresford

Copyright newsweek

A 6-year-old shelter dog was left “sad and confused” after his adopters decided to return him, just 30 minutes after he had arrived at what was supposed to be his new forever home.Foster carer Sophia Roth from Baltimore, Maryland, took to TikTok, posting under the handle @sophiebri98, to share the saddening experience of her latest foster pup, Scooby.”He was brought to the shelter in early July,” Roth told Newsweek. “He was picked up as a stray. But he so clearly had a home that cared about him once upon a time. He knows commands and is used to sleeping in a bed under the covers.”Foster carers can play a key role in helping a shelter dog to regain confidence. Away from the hustle and bustle of the shelter environment, these canines often rediscover their sense of self, allowing interests and personality to come to the fore in the process.This is partly down to the love and care that foster carers provide, which can go a long way to boosting the well-being of a shelter dog.In 2018, a study published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science found that just 15 minutes of one-on-one petting was enough to provide a measurable boost to the well-being of a shelter dog.Over the course of a three-week stay, Roth gained valuable insight into Scooby’s interests. “Our time together was so fun,” she said. “Full of hikes, walks, and so many cuddles. He’s a very affectionate boy. We also began working with him on playing with toys. He acted like he had never been given toys before.”Eventually, that hard work looked to have paid off when Scooby was adopted. Sadly, though, it did not last. According to Roth’s video, just 30 minutes after taking Scooby home, his new family called to say he would be being returned. In their words, the dog was “too much.””They literally just decided he was too high-energy,” Roth said. “They gave him absolutely no time to decompress, to get to know them. They also were not willing to take any time to train him on manners.”Scooby’s plight was a source of some distress to Roth, who had grown close to her canine companion. “Scooby is my first-ever long-term foster. It made me feel a lot of anxiety and frustration,” she said. “I just wanted him back as soon as I realized they weren’t willing to work with him.”Roth was not alone in feeling deflated by what had happened. Scooby was also devastated. “He definitely was a little sad and confused the first couple days, but quickly forgot them and was happy to be home with us,” Roth said.Upset at how things unfolded, Roth shared her “angel” foster dog Scooby’s story to TikTok. Though it didn’t come about as a result of the video, the dog’s story does have a happy ending.A couple of days after he was surrendered, more applications to adopt came flooding in. Scooby has now headed off to another forever home, this time with the hope it will truly be forever.”I am pretty confident,” Roth said. “This couple have met Scooby and have prior experience with his breed. They honestly are more knowledgeable about training than I am, and she has also previously volunteered with the shelter, so I think she’ll be the perfect fit.”Though Scooby’s story has a happy ending, Roth said she hopes the video makes those watching realize that shelter dogs “need time to settle in and to not give up so quickly.”