When Dahlia arrived at the Santa Barbara Humane Society (SBHS) in California in October 2008, no one could have known exactly how long her stay would be. Now, nearly 7 years later, it’s long past time for Dahlia to find her forever home.

Dahlia, a 7-year-old pit bull, was only 6 months old when she arrived at the shelter. She was given away because her owner simply could not keep her anymore. Puppies usually have an easier time getting adopted than older dogs but, for some reason, Dahlia kept slipping through the cracks.

Dahlia can be a little shy at first, which could be why she still remains at the shelter. “She is a little timid when meeting new people but once she gets to know you she is such a sweetheart,” Erica Jackson, a canine adoption counselor at SBHS, told The Dodo.

SBHS desperately wants Dahlia to find her forever home, so it posted a photo to Facebook featuring Dahlia posing next to a sign detailing exactly how long she has been at the shelter for – 2,531 days, as of the time when the sign was made. She is the shelter’s longest resident, and as much as the staff loves her, workers want her to know exactly how wonderful it is to have a forever home.

“I know her transition into a home will be a hard one because of her length of stay at our shelter, but I’m hoping that right person will come forward and want to dedicate time to her,” Jackson said.

Dahlia loves to play outside and splash in kiddie pools, and she also enjoys quiet moments just giving kisses to the people she loves. Dahlia was given up when she was only a puppy, so she’s really never known what it’s like to have a family. Let’s not let her go one more day without a loving home.

A home with no other pets will work best for Dahlia, as well as somewhere relatively close to the shelter, in order to make her transition easier. If you or someone you know would be interested in adopting Dahlia, you can contact the Santa Barbara Humane Society at (805) 964-4777, or email Erica Jackson at [email protected].