*Otis was too frightened to trust

When *Otis arrived at Pet Refuge, he curled himself into the corner and shook.

He was frightened, crying out and wouldn’t take food from the people trying to care for him. This once people-friendly dog had shut down.

Otis had come from a home affected by family violence. The fear and trauma he had lived through had left him frightened, overwhelmed and deeply unsure of the people around him.

He was somewhere safe. But Otis didn’t know that yet.

For dogs who have lived surrounded by violence and fear, the emotional impact doesn’t simply disappear when they reach safety.

Shelter staff started slowly, sitting outside Otis’s kennel and allowing him to become familiar with their scent. They offered food without pushing him and followed his body language, giving him the time and space he needed to begin trusting again.

This is why a Safe Bed Night is about so much more than a bed.

For Otis, safety meant being given time. Time to learn that the people around him weren’t going to hurt him. Time to build trust at his own pace. And time for glimpses of the people-friendly dog he had once been to begin to return.

With patience, consistency and care tailored to what he needed, Otis could begin to understand that he was safe — and start finding his confidence again.