Read Shelter Dog's Heartbreaking Letter to Santa: 'Find a Family for Me'

Senior Life and Trends Reporter

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One dog's Christmas wish after waiting in a shelter for over 200 days is breaking hearts, with carers sharing her letter to Santa online.

Haseya's New Beginning Animal Rescue in Louisiana has been caring for three-year-old Labrador and American Staffordshire terrier mix Laguna since May, but she is still searching for the perfect home.

In a poignant letter, Laguna asked Santa for help to find her happy ending. She began by thanking Santa for the positive things in her life, and explained that she heard a rumor he can help dogs like her find loving families.

Laguna the dog — A picture of Laguna, a 3-year-old dog who has written a letter to Santa while waiting for her forever home. Haseya's New Beginning Animal Rescue

"Laguna's ideal home would be with an active family, with children, and another adult dog that loves to play," Kelli Briscoe, a representative from Haseya's New Beginning, told Newsweek. "Laguna has energy for days and enjoys playing with her dog friends outside. Laguna is super smart and needs someone willing to keep her mind busy and teach her new things."

But since being at the shelter, nobody has shown any interest in Laguna. "Not even a glance," said Briscoe.

Laguna's letter to Santa

Hi Santa,

I heard about you from my volunteer friends, and they told me you can help find forever homes for us doggies so I am really hoping you can help me find one.

Don't get me wrong Santa, they are wonderful to me here at Haseya's. It was a little overwhelming at first, but I'm used to it now and after many months I have good friends here who take me out and play with me.

Here's what you can tell adopters about me Santa that might help. I'm a happy girl and a very friendly one ...I'm really silly and love to have fun! I need a grown-up family that thinks I will be so speciaI they will play with me till I drop ...I love chasing tennis balls ....and I like to go on long walks too.

I really hope you can find a family for me Santa. I would love to play fetch with you if you come to the shelter sometime and I thank you so much for reading my letter.

Love, Laguna

Haseya's New Beginning Animal Rescue, founded in 2018, initially focused on equine rescue but expanded its mission to include a city shelter in Rayne in March 2020, transforming it into a no-kill facility. The rescue operates solely on donations, providing every animal with an opportunity to live, irrespective of their health conditions.

Each year 6.3 million pets are surrendered to U.S. shelters, an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet 'Shelter Watch Report' found. Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.

The rescue shared the heartbreaking letter to Santa on their Facebook page on December 5, but Laguna is still waiting to have her special Christmas wish granted.

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