Shelter worker noticed mysterious wounds on a dog that was never abused — her heart shattered when she discovered why

When Los Angeles woman Kels McDonough, who runs McDonough Rescue, noticed a Belgian Malinois named Carmela had gashes on both of her arms, she was curious to know how she got them. When she learned the reason behind it, it broke her heart. Posting a video on her TikTok on April 4, 2025, under the handle @kelsmcdonough_, she also shared an update about the dog.

Kels McDonough has dedicated her life to helping dogs in overcrowded shelters find their forever families through her social media page. Sharing a heartbreaking story, she posted a video during her visit to South Los Angeles Animal Shelter, where she came across a shelter dog named Carmela, a Belgian Malinois, in her kennel. That's when McDonough noticed something strange on the dog's paws. The dog had unusual gashes on her paws, but McDonough was clueless about how she had gotten them. Soon, she learned the truth, and it shattered her heart.

In the video, McDonough revealed that the three-year-old pooch had been waiting endlessly for someone to adopt her. Out of longing, she would often push her paws through the kennel bars, injuring herself in the process. When McDonough passed by, the canine did not bother to get up from her bed, possibly having lost hope of leaving the shelter. According to Newsweek, Carmela came to the South LA Animal Shelter on March 23 as a stray. The shelter placed her on a stray hold, giving her owners an opportunity to reclaim her, but no one showed up. When McDonough made a stop at her kennel, the poor canine jumped onto the grate.

Thankfully, after McDonough's video went viral, Carmela was able to find her forever home. A couple who came across the video adopted the pooch, taking her away from the misery for a new life and a home filled with love. In a 2025 study published on PubMed, researchers analyzed stress biomarkers like cortisol and immunoglobulin A and found that dogs displaying reduced social behavior toward humans were less likely to be adopted and stayed longer in shelters. As per the research, biomarkers did not provide clear conclusions, but they did emphasize the importance of studying how shelter dogs adapt and cope.

Viewers were deeply moved by the video and flooded the comments with their reactions. @content.by.b wrote, "She seems like such a sweet, playful soul, may God watch over her and help her find a loving home soon." @thatpsychmom75 commented, "I hope she gets the home she deserves!! She is beautiful!" @loudanddproud exclaimed, ",Aww my god, that just broke my heart... she deserves so much more than to be stuck in there alone all day, pray this reaches someone who can adopt or even foster her."

For more such pet-related content, follow @kelsmcdonough_ on TikTok.