At the Animal Defense League of Texas, there’s a dog who greets every day with a smile. His name is Naco, and his favorite things in the world are sunshine, kiddie pools, and long naps.
He’s house-trained, easygoing, and loves to stretch out in the grass with his tongue hanging out — pure contentment. But behind that happy face lies a quiet heartbreak:
Naco has lived at the shelter for more than 2,500 days.
Naco first arrived at the shelter back in 2018 after being found wandering along Nacogdoches Road — the spot that inspired his name. He had no injuries, no microchip, and no family looking for him. Just a lonely pup hoping to be loved.
“He’s a no muss, no fuss kind of guy,” said Cheryl Frawley, a longtime ADL volunteer who’s spent years by Naco’s side. “His favorite thing is to go in a yard, lay out, and sun himself.”
When Naco gets a break from shelter life, he stays with a volunteer who hosts him for long weekends. In a quiet home with no other pets, he soaks up every second of companionship — lounging by his human, playing gently, and just being part of a family, if only for a few days.
“He doesn’t chew on shoes, he doesn’t destroy furniture,” Frawley said. “He just enjoys the peace.”
Naco does best as the only pet in the home and prefers life without small children, which may be part of why he’s been overlooked. But he isn’t aggressive — far from it.
“He’ll go up to the chain-link fence and greet the other dogs,” Frawley said. “If it’s a girl, he does this little cute whimper thing.”
He’s also incredibly adaptable. “If you want to wrestle, he’ll wrestle. If you don’t, he’ll just hang out,” Frawley added with a laugh. “He changes his play style for you.”
Naco even has a special bark reserved for the people he loves most. “I can tell who’s walking by just by the sound of his bark,” Frawley said. “It’s really cute.”
Last year, Naco’s story went viral after he was featured for spending six years in the shelter — even Newsweek covered it. But a year later, he’s still waiting.
At about 70 pounds, muscular and strong, Naco can look intimidating at first glance. He pulls on the leash when he’s excited, but that fades as soon as he’s away from the kennels.
Beneath his tough exterior is simply a gentle, affectionate soul who wants to nap in the sun next to someone who loves him.
“No one understands why he’s still here,” Frawley said. “He’s not picky. He’s just a sweet bully breed looking for love.”
If you have a house with a yard and a spot of sunshine to share, Naco could be your perfect companion.
“You could just sit on your patio with your coffee while he lounges in the sun,” Frawley said. “That’s all he really wants.”
If you’re interested in giving Naco the home he’s been dreaming of, visit the Animal Defense League of Texas website to learn more.
