Internet Tries to Guess Dog's Breed After She Was Surrendered by Her Owner

An animal rescue group has melted hearts after sharing the sorrowful face of a dog who was surrendered by her owner, but nobody can work out what breed she is.

The dog, named Chai, was taken to animal control on January 9, without any apparent understanding about what was happening to her. Chai's crestfallen face broke many hearts at the shelter, and an image of her was shared online asking people what breed they thought she may be.

The devastating photo came to the attention of Angels Among Us Pet Rescue in Atlanta, Georgia, who didn't waste a minute in rescuing her, regardless of her breed. Jackie Spett, the marketing and development director at Angels told Newsweek that Chai was "happy and loving when she arrived but she slowly began to shut down."

It was clear that a shelter was no place for Chai, so by January 12, just three days after being surrendered, Angels Among Us Pet Rescue had arranged for a foster to take the 4-year-old pup in and welcome her into a new home.

"Her foster will keep her for a mandatory 14-day quarantine period, and then she can be adopted, as long as she remains healthy and free of any other concerns," Spett said. "Chai's foster says she is always on the move, so an active family or individual would be best."

Chai's story certainly broke hearts, but unfortunately it isn't an isolated incident. According to the Shelter Animals Count, a national database, 26 percent of animals that entered rescue centers in the U.S in 2023 were relinquished by their previous owner. While it surely can't be an easy decision for any owner, it's thought that surrenders usually come as a result of financial or behavioral complications, or unforeseen changes that make it impossible to keep them.

Sharing Chai's Story Online

On January 14, the heartbreaking image of Chai was posted on the Angels Among Us Pet Rescue Facebook page, explaining that "nobody knows" what breed she is. The caption detailed how Chai's "heart shattered into a million pieces" following her surrender, and they knew action needed to be taken.

Since the image was shared, it generated over 900 reactions and was shared more than 300 times, leading many Facebook users to donate to the rescue organization.

Spett told Newsweek that after posting her picture online, they have "received a lot of love and support and kind wishes for Chai's future." Of course, there were also plenty of people who continued guessing what breed she could be, as predictions included a mix between a German shepherd and Labrador, or a dachshund mix, and Spett joked that another popular choice was "the good old Georgia brown dog."

With more than 200 comments on the post so far, many people were delighted to hear that Chai had been fostered, after having her world turned upside down, leading to a great deal of praise for the rescue.

One comment reads: "Sweet baby. She is beautiful no matter what breed."

Another commenter wrote: "So very many dogs it breaks my heart. I don't even know how y'all do it day in day out but I'm so very thankful you do."

While another person responded: "The picture breaks my heart but I'm glad she's got a home now for people to love her. Shame on her owner who dumped her off."

Do you have any pet rescue videos or pictures you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.