Rescue Dog Previously Punished for Barking Now Finds Voice in Forever Home

A rescue dog once punished with a shock collar for barking is learning she’s allowed to be heard—thanks to a forever home that celebrates her voice.

Dana Martini first began fostering Opal, an English cream golden retriever, on November 15, after she was surrendered to a local rescue two weeks earlier by a commercial breeder due to her having small litters. Opal lived as a breeder mom for a puppy mill, Martini told Newsweek via email.

“She lived a life of torture, abuse, and neglect at the hands of an owner who only saw her as a money maker,” she said. “I am thankful the puppy farm made the call to the rescue to surrender her, rather than choosing to end her life. She was one of the lucky ones.”

Years of punishment—including the use of shock collars—taught Opal to stay silent. Since fostering her and later adopting her on December 22, Martini has worked to help her unlearn that fear. During their time together, Martini discovered Opal has separation anxiety.

In a December 2 Instagram video posted to the account @revo2love, a pet camera showed Opal howling in her “safe” room two minutes after Martini left—a win in Martini’s eyes showing progress.

“The howling was the first real moment Opal found her voice and felt safe enough to use it,” she said. “…The howling was the first time Opal communicated she felt comfort in our mere presence in the house, because she didn’t show it.”

Martini celebrated the howling, despite Opal digging at the carpet, another sign of separation anxiety. This behavior began about two weeks after Opal was rescued. Now, Martini learned Opal enjoys sleeping with her T-shirt while she’s at work. Opal feels comforted by the familiar smell and no longer howls when she has the shirt.

“Opal was afraid of absolutely everything: human presence, human touch, eye contact, a dog food dish, a tennis ball, any and all human movements, indoors, grass, cars, etc.,” she said. “The offer of a small treat was even frightening to her.”

Along with her fear, Opal came to her forever home with health issues—untreated ear infections leading to hearing impairment, a benign growth in her ear canal, a mast cell tumor, scars around her snout and neck and sores on her feet. Martini said the pup underwent two major surgeries over the last few months, but Opal is on the mend, allowing them to focus on her emotional health.

Instagram Users React

Along with Martini, Instagram users celebrated Opal’s newfound voice, cheering her on in the comments section, and as of Monday, the clip reached more than 48,400 views.

“This is so cute! It sounds like a hurricane siren! Adorable,” one user wrote.

A second commented: “Awe, so happy to see how far Opal has come in such a short time.”

Another user added: “That is so incredibly sweet. She loves her mom and is finally learning to trust and feel loved. 

And fourth posted: “Love that she feels safe enough to sound out her emotions now.”

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