Animal shelters already have the difficult job of trying to place all of their animals in happy homes, whether they’re being fostered or adopted.
Sometimes, these little balls of love have past trauma that can make them difficult to train at first, but most are able to adapt and eventually thrive in their new homes.
But for one French bulldog named Ralphie, the shelter thought honesty would be the best policy — in fact, they’re actually advising against adopting this “terror in a somewhat small package.”
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In an advertisement that has since gone viral on Facebook, the Niagara SPAC based in Niagara Falls, New York introduced the adorable, 26-pound black and white dog to followers of the page with a warning:
“Sometimes we can sugar coat the less than desirable traits like- prefers to be an only child,” the shelter wrote. “This one stumps us though. We don’t actually have too many nice things to say so we’re just going to come out with it.”
The description explains that the dog was rehomed before being given back to the shelter just two weeks later after his new family claimed that he did not get along with the family’s older dog.
“Ralphie is a fire-breathing demon,” the advertisement casually says. “He’s a whole jerk- not even half. Everything belongs to him. If you dare test his ability to possess THE things, wrath will ensue. If you show a moment of weakness, prepare to be exploited.”
The post, which has been shared over 1,100 times and received over 2,300 reactions, was met with messages from Ralphie’s new fans who wanted to help donate to his training and adoption, as well as pet owners sharing their own horror stories of adopted animals who became a part of their families.
“I’d like to donate toward his adoption fee,” one Facebook user wrote. “I’m bossy and too much for some people too, so he’s a little bit my spirit animal.”
The shelter explained that Ralphie’s former trainer would be willing to help his new owners with training tools and information that will be necessary should they choose to adopt.
“The ideal home for Ralphie is the Mother of Dragons, or an adult home free of other animals, with an owner who will lead him calmly and sternly- putting up with zero crap,” they said.
In a follow-up series of posts, the shelter provided updates on Ralphie’s progress in training and behavioral therapy, including one socializing effort from two shelter staffers to bring the Frenchie to JoAnn’s Fabric store.
“Once he entered the store, he trotted right up to a mirror where he went on, like any true jerk, to admire himself endlessly- really checking from all angles,” the post joked. “All in all, it was a good trip. No blood was shed. They weren’t told to never come back.”
There’s hope for Ralphie yet!