A “playful” dog has spent over 500 days in a North Carolina animal shelter — and still needs a home.

Anastasia, affectionately called “Ana,” enjoys car rides and loves to cram tennis balls in her mouth. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of the Triad said the pup has become a staff favorite since she was found abandoned.

“Ana was found tied to a front porch alone after her family moved away and left her behind,” the Greensboro shelter wrote April 2 on Facebook. “Hard to imagine how confused and scared this young girl must have been.”

Ana first came to the shelter in May 2022 and later was adopted for about two months. But her owner returned her in October 2022, marking the start of her over 500-day stay.

“She’s such a wonderful dog and would be the greatest friend for someone,” Casey Crossan, a volunteer and board member, told McClatchy News in a phone interview. “It’s just going to take getting her out of our environment and a little bit of consistency and patience to build that trust.”

The SPCA believes Ana has been overlooked for more than a year because she’s scared of strangers and acts tough to keep new people away. She has a trainer, and the animal organization hopes someone will have the patience to get to know her.

“Although it takes Ana time to warm up to new people, once she feels comfortable, she loves petting and affection from her circle of human friends,” the shelter wrote.

Crossan said the “playful” dog loves treats and is believed to be a 2- or 3-year-old American pit bull terrier. The shelter thinks she would do best in a home with older kids and larger dogs.

As of April 3, Ana was still up for adoption. More details about the SPCA’s adoption process can be found at triadspca.org/adopt.

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