Dorlisa is 4 years old; she weighs 80 pounds and is homeless. She has spent more than 30 percent of her short life in a shelter.
She’s also four-legged.
Dorlisa, a popular Greek name meaning vision and Gift of God, has been living at the Gulf Coast Humane Society shelter for more than a year.
Her owner surrendered her to a small shelter in Taylor County in northern Florida in January 2022, according to Gulf Coast’s Executive Director Gary Willoughby.
Gulf Coast took her in soon after. Days, weeks and months passed without any takers. She was adopted last December, but she ended up back at the kennel a week later after animal control twice found her wandering the streets.
More than 3,000 dogs and cats have been adopted from Gulf Coast since Dorlisa arrived, Willoughby said.
“It’s unusual for a year,” said Brian Wierima, community relations coordinator for the humane society. “We don’t have many that do.”
How to adopt Dorlisa or other dogs and cats
- Gulf Coast Humane Society Adoption Center
- 2010 Arcadia Street, Fort Myers
- Closed Monday
- Open Noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday
- Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
- Call 239-332-0364
- Gulf Coast animals up for adoption
The average stay for a dog at the shelter is 20 days, Willoughby said.
Dorlisa has many things going against her. Most Lee County rentals and HOAs have breed and weight restrictions, Wierima said. The restrictions exclude dogs over 35 pounds.
The shelter lists Dorlisa as a terrier mix, which is a kinder and gentler name for a pitbull.
“We don’t use that term simply because it’s not a breed for one, it’s a characteristic and unfortunately, it can be a negative,” Wierima said.
More at Gulf Coast Humane Society
When she first came to the shelter she was dog reactive, which limited people wanting to adopt. The staff has worked with her, and now she plays with some dogs, but she is selective.
Dorlisa doesn’t do a great job of selling herself in the kennel.
“She’s a sweet dog,” Willoughby said, “but she’s kind of reserved. She’s easy to walk past when you have a lot of options.”
She hasn’t had a meet and great in ages, Wierima said.
The shelter isn’t giving up on finding her a home. She is a Dolly’s Dream Dog, which means the adopter doesn’t pay an adoption fee, and gets a collar, leash, training crate, dog bed, toys and food and treats.
She’s been on television, and Wierima has talked her up on radio stations. She’s even had a portrait painted of her.
“She deserves a home. … She will become your best friend,” Wierima said.
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