Staff at a Virginia shelter were suspicious when a call came in about a "wobbly" dog so they decided to drug test him -- the results were astonishing.
Richmond Animal Care & Control (RACC) say they got a call to assist with a dog who was found "walking with a wobble." When an officer arrived on the scene, the dog was vomiting and no one knew who he belonged to.
Christie Chipps Peters, director at RACC, told Newsweek the call for help with a "wobbly dog" coupled with the vomiting led him to suggest the dog be tested for drugs. "I thought the symptoms tracked with marijuana ingestion," she said. "We do see marijuana positives a few times a year."
What she didn't expect, however, was that this cute, but disorientated dog, with his adorably wiggly tail would subsequently test positive for cocaine. "I was very surprised to see the positive for cocaine," Peters said.
Though the dog's situation was unusual, RACC was more than equipped to care for him in his disorientated state. The dog was given a bath to remove any remaining residue and closely monitored while he continued to sober up.
In the meantime, he has been named, rather imaginatively, I'm Happy to Be Here, by staff. Asked if she has ever encountered a dog testing positive for cocaine before, Peters said: "Sadly yes but not for a few years."
Peters says there are several "options" as for how Happy came to ingest the drug. "He could have been exposed in a myriad of ways if he was out running stray," Peters said. "He also threw up broccoli and carrots so he's getting his vegetables in as well."
Despite his ordeal, Peters is also pleased to report that Happy is settling in well at the shelter. "He's sweet and literally happy to be here," she said.
In the meantime, RACC shared Happy's picture to its Facebook page, encouraging anyone who might recognize him to reach out.
The post and Happy's story of intoxication has proven popular on social media, with users flooding the comments section on the post. Some saw the funny side. "Did you write him up for public intoxication?" one user asked. "Damn dog was high as hell," another wrote.
Many, however, felt sad that Happy had gone through such an ordeal. "Please ensure that pup gets the proper care he needs. What a nightmare! Glad he's okay," one wrote. Another commented: "Poor baby! I have so much to say right now but I won't I just hope he recovers well."
Happy is currently on stray hold. After that he will be made available for adoption. Anyone interested in giving him a home should email Christy.hensworth@rva.gov.
Though Happy is on the right track to a positive outcome, his experience is far from an isolated case.
A 2024 JAMA Network Open analysis of calls to the Pet Poison Helpline found 433 dogs (and 63 cats) were exposed to cocaine or methamphetamine from 2019-2023. These exposures ranked among the top 5 illicit substance exposures for pets. A follow‑up report noted a 39 percent increase in cocaine exposure in dogs from 2019-2023.
According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) recreational drugs (including marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms, etc.) accounted for 2.1 percent of all exposures in 2024. The APCC fielded over 451,000 total calls in 2024, meaning roughly 9,500+ cases involved recreational drugs.