Volunteer Takes Shelter Dog Out for ‘Day Trip’, Never Returns Her

An animal shelter volunteer has recalled the day she took one of the rescue’s dogs on a “day out” and then simply never returned her.

Julia Zupan, 25, from Cincinnati, Ohio, told Newsweek she first started volunteering on a regular basis at her local animal shelter, Cincinnati Animal Care, because she “could have a dog at the time, but really enjoyed their company.”

That’s how Zupan ended up taking pups from Cincinnati Animal Care on “day trips” out of the shelter. These trips gave Zupan her “dog fix” while also providing the shelter’s residents with a few hours of much needed respite.

“Allowing a dog a few hours out of the loud shelter gives them a chance to decompress, sleep and play,” she said. “You can learn so much about a dog and also get pictures of them, which also helps them get adopted.”

Research backs up Zupan’s assertions. In 2018, a study published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science found that just 15 minutes of one-on-one petting and speaking to a dog in a calm manner provided the canine involved with a measurable boost to their overall well-being.

It certainly brought out the best in Margot, the bully mix who ended up being one of the dogs Zupan decided to take on a day out. Margot’s life before the shelter remains something of a mystery. “All I know about Margot is that she was found in a Walmart parking lot, and was very friendly to the human who found her,” Zupan said.

The original plan was for Margot to go to Zupan’s home and explore a little more of Cincinnati with her. But something happened early into their time together that changed everything.

“Margot had known me for a whole hour before she decided to completely lay her whole entire body on me and snuggle for a long nap,” Zupan said.

This was unexpected, but not unwelcome. “I had never come across such a sweet, affectionate dog,” Zupan said. As the day continued, something gradually began to dawn on Zupan.

“Between her looks and her personality, I knew I couldn’t give up such a gem,” she said. “I was not at all in the place to adopt a dog, but I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t.”

The rest, as they say, is history. Zupan informed the shelter of her plans and took the necessary steps to turn Margot’s “day out” into something every dog in her situation craves: a forever home.

Since then, they have been as inseparable as they were within an hour of being together outside of the shelter. “Every single day is the best day as long as I have her by my side. I truly look at our mundane days together with such joy,” Zupan said. “Our favorite things to do together are going to Sniff Spots, going on road trips, and meeting new friends. She adores meeting new people and has never met a stranger.”

Margot has also become something of a social media star, with Zupan regularly sharing clips of their adventures together under the handle @margottherescue. One recent video saw her share the story of how their day out together became something more.

But there’s a deeper message to Margot’s social media output. She hopes people realize how amazing dogs like Margot are. “Bully mixes at that, often get demonized without ever being given the chance to prove themselves,” she said. “I never thought I’d own a bully mix, but now I adore them.”

She’s also keen to highlight that Margot is a reactive dog and they are worthy of love and companionship too. “Margot has big feelings when she is on a leash, and struggles to regulate her emotions when seeing other dogs,” she said. “This causes her to act out in anxious ways such as barking, spinning and lunging. This can look scary to someone who doesn’t know what a reactive dog is, but people who know Margot off leash know that she is such a joy!”