A dog was so heartbroken after being returned to an animal shelter by her family that she ‘shut down’ and refused to go on walks.

Lana first arrived at the boarding kennel in Toronto as a puppy – the runt of a large litter in Mexico.

She was kept in a foster program, spending short amounts of time with different families with no problems reported.

She was five before she was placed with one permanently but they returned her after her guarding issues resurfaced.

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A dog was so heartbroken after being returned to an animal shelter by her family that she ‘shut down’ and refused to go on walks. (Photo/Mail Online)

And a picture taken of Lana moments after she was handed back to the rescue home shows a brokenhearted dog, with her head hanging low and her face pressed against the wall.

Dahlia Ayoub, of Mighty Mutts, said Lana was unresponsive for a whole day and refused to move or go on walks.

‘It’s almost like her world shut down,’ she told The Dodo.

Ayoub explained that Lana was the size of her hand when she arrived at the kennel and ‘terrified’ of everything.

Dahlia Ayoub (pictured with Lana), of Mighty Mutts, said Lana was unresponsive for a whole day and refused to move or go on walks. (Photo/Mail Online)

But she added that the only time her guarding instincts, stemming from when she was forced to compete for food with her siblings, have only reappeared that one time.

‘She snapped at the mom. And they decided because they have kids in the house to bring her back to boarding.’

But Lana was soon back to her old self and was happy to see Ayoub the following day.

Although she is still looking for a ‘forever’ home, Lana’s story has a happy ending as she has found herself a new foster home.

Lana first arrived at the boarding kennel in Toronto as a puppy – the runt of a large litter in Mexico. (Photo/Mail Online)

She was kept in a foster program, spending short amounts of time with different families with no problems reported. She is still looking for a 'forever' home but has found a new foster family. (Photo/Mail Online)