Isabella was only a year old, a black Labrador with a past no one could quite piece together, when she was moved to the Humane Society of Broward County after coming in from another shelter.

The moment she arrived, the nonstop barking and echoing commotion swallowed her up. She folded herself into the far corner of her kennel, shaking so hard her paws barely stayed beneath her, her gaze pinned to the floor as if she hoped the chaos would disappear.

Seeing her in that state unsettled everyone who worked there. The staff felt her fear as their own and made it their mission to help her feel protected and understood.

Finding Gentle Connection In A Scary Place

Team members and volunteers began spending long stretches inside her kennel, lowering their voices and slowing their movements in

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