LOUISVILLE, Ky. — At Louisville Metro Animal Services (LMAS), hundreds of adoptable dogs and cats are desperately waiting for their forever family. The shelter is overcrowded, and when a dog stays for too long, tough decisions have to be made. Still, staff believe there is a family for every animal, they just need to find them.
One of those animals waiting for her forever family is a 3-year-old mix named ‘Baby I’m a Star.’
"She's super affectionate, she has a great loving personality. She is friendly with all people she meets. Even though she's a little bit older, she's three years old, she really seems to have a puppy attitude,” Stephen Saurer, volunteer, said.
Saurer seems to love all of the dogs at LMAS, but some just stand out and right now it’s this girl who has stolen his heart.
"She is my favorite dog in the shelter right now," he said.
The two have grown close during field trips to coffee shops, parks and bookstores. He said she's always excited to meet new people, make friends with dogs and capture the moment with a picture.
"She's great at taking selfies, too. Very cute!”
Baby I’m a Star is incredibly affectionate and eager to give kisses and hugs. She loves others dogs and does great in a play group. She knows basic commands and has some leash training. Her energy is considered middle of the road meaning she would fit in with any family.
"I'm surprised she hasn't been adopted yet because she is so friendly and sweet,” Saurer said.
Watching her sit in the shelter week after week is hard for the volunteer with a soft spot in his heart.
"I've already got kind of attached to her, so I really want to see her find her home," he said.
Saurer thinks her barrier to adoption might be how she reacts when people walk by her kennel. She jumps and sometimes barks. But he said that’s how she is showing excitement and eagerness to get out of the kennel and once she’s out, she’s a completely different dog.
"The advice I would give anyone going to the shelter is don't judge a dog by how they act in the kennel," Saurer said. "Because the only thing you know about them is how they act in the kennel. Dogs transform into a completely different being when they're out of the kennel."
Baby I’m a Star is at Animal House right now so if you'd like to set up a meet and greet, head to the adoption center on Newburg Road any day of the week between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Shay McAlister will be introducing you to a new dog every week in our WHAS Shelter Stars series. You can watch on WHAS11 at 4 p.m. every Thursday.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.