After 400 Days, Petunia Still Awaits Forever Home as Shelter Prepares Move

Petunia, a pit-bull–type dog at the Humane Society of Otter Tail County in Fergus Falls, has been at the shelter for 400 days and remains available for adoption. Her long stay stands out against the shelter’s averages and has staff urging the community to reconsider common assumptions about long-term shelter animals.

Shelter records show Petunia arrived as a stray in January 2025. The intake notes include the fragment “She came in with another dog. He was …” which is incomplete in the available file. Despite the uncertainty around her intake partner, staff describe Petunia as affectionate and steady. The InForum profile notes, “She gets excited by passing cars, pulls a little hard on the leash and is just about the biggest sweetheart you'll ever meet.”

The shelter’s executive director, Chris Cannon, places Petunia’s situation in operational context. “We've seen their (other animals) behavior kind of deteriorate, and they get a little bit more antsy and reactive. And, you know, she's just maintained that sweet demeanor the whole time,” Cannon said, underscoring how some animals cope better than others with extended shelter stays. Cannon also compared public perceptions of long-stay dogs to houses that remain on the market: “I feel like, as houses on the market, like, well, this house has been on the market for how long? Well, what's wrong with it? And that's kind of the thought process I think that people have about dogs, too. And I just would ask everyone to, you know, kind of rethink things. Because Petunia, you met her. She's super sweet, super sweet,” he said.

The Humane Society reports an average stay of 41 days for pets, and staff note that “cats tend to go faster than dogs lately.” By that measure, Petunia’s tenure is “too long,” a phrase used in coverage of her story to emphasize the gap between her experience and typical adoption timelines.

Volunteers and staff continue outreach to find a home. A volunteer identified only as Bouchard said, “She needs to get out of here. That's what I want for her, too.” Staff are also preparing to move the shelter into renovated space this spring and say they hope “Petunia won’t be moving with them because she’s already found a new home.”

Petunia remains available for adoption, and the InForum copy notes that adoption information can be found on the shelter website, though the published excerpts do not include a web address. The InForum piece includes photography credited to Michael McGurran and file references 02042304_PETUNIApkg10.mp4.Still001.jpg and 02042300_SOMALISCAMSsot5.mp4.Still001.jpg. The story was carried by multiple local outlets, including Echo Press, Detroit Lakes Online, Perham Focus and wadenapj.com.

For Otter Tail County residents, Petunia’s case highlights how breed designation and length of stay can affect adoption prospects and shelter operations. Those interested in adopting or supporting the Humane Society of Otter Tail County should check the shelter’s website or contact the organization directly for current status and adoption procedures; a successful adoption before the spring move would both free kennel space and spare Petunia another transition.