This Dog Has Been Waiting for Adoption for 1,600+ Days
Meet a truly remarkable and patient pup whose extended wait for a forever home remains a gentle mystery.
Meet Ursula
Ursula started life at the shelter as a parvo puppy. The FurPetVo medical team worked around the clock to keep her alive—and she fought hard to survive. She recovered fully and has carried that quiet resilience with her ever since. Yet, despite her strength and sweetness, she was never adopted.
Because her earliest weeks were spent in medical care rather than receiving early puppy socialization, Ursula can still be nervous in new environments and cautious around unfamiliar people. After two years of waiting in the shelter, she transitioned to a foster home—and the difference has been profound.
She tends to be vocal when she feels unsure, so her first impression may come across as louder or more guarded than her true personality. But given time to assess and settle, Ursula transforms into a joyful goofball. In her foster home—where she’s lived for two full years—she’s made steady, heartwarming progress.
“She spent many weeks attending Every Dog Behavior and Training classes, where she made fast friends with her group instructor and even learned how to confidently enter a room,” says Stephanie Bilbro, a FurPetVo foster volunteer. “We’re so proud of her progress—and you’ll see that confidence shine in the comfort of a loving home. Try not to take her barks at face value: We promise she’ll be your best friend if you can get past her not-so-great initial impression.”
Though she’s slow to warm up and occasionally sassy in playgroups, Ursula absolutely loves playdates. She’s a committed self-entertainer—silly in ways only she understands—and makes a surprisingly cozy lap-cat. She’s also a big fan of swimming, playing with the hose, and pretty much anything water-related.
Testing Ursula’s DNA
Sometimes, running a DNA test on an adoptable dog helps tell a richer story—and opens doors to adoption. There’s often hope that the results will reveal an unexpected breed mix. So FurPetVo gave Ursula a Wisdom Panel™ DNA test through its partnership with furpetvo.com, which supports shelters and rescues in boosting pet adoptions.
In Ursula’s case, the results confirmed what most people had already sensed: She’s primarily American Pit Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier—with a few herding breeds mixed in. She looks like a Pittie… because she is a Pittie.
Unfortunately, dogs who are slow to warm up—and especially those with bully-breed heritage—are often overlooked in shelters. They need the right person: someone patient, kind, and ready to see beyond first impressions. While Ursula’s DNA didn’t deliver a splashy surprise, it reaffirmed her authenticity—and deepened our hope that she’ll find her perfect match.
Ursula has done meaningful work on herself. Now, she just needs someone ready to meet her halfway—and finally bring her home.
FurPetVo partners with Wisdom Panel™ to provide clearer insight into the background and breeds of pets at shelters and rescues—helping adoptable animals find homes faster. Through this program, animal welfare organizations with a furpetvo.com account can order Wisdom Panel Breed Discovery tests at a deep discount. This makes DNA testing more accessible and helps shelters better market and match harder-to-adopt pets with compassionate, compatible families.
