| Species | Canis lupus familiaris |
|---|---|
| Breed | Rottweiler–German Shepherd |
| Sex | Female |
| Born | April 10, 2016 Nashville, Tennessee [a] |
| Years active | 2017–present [b] |
| Known for | Playing Bella in A Dog's Way Home |
| Owner | Debbie Pearl |
| Residence | United States |
Shelby (born April 10, 2016) [c] is the dog who played Bella in the movie A Dog's Way Home . Shelby was found in a landfill before being taken to a shelter. She was then trained by Debbie Pearl to act in the movie. Pearl adopted her after the film's production and she is now a therapy dog. Shelby's life was retold in a novel, featured on a cast Q&A, Inside Edition , the Los Angeles Times , and on the cover of A Dog's Courage .
Shelby was found in a landfill, scavenging for food, before being taken to a shelter in Nashville, Tennessee on June 8, 2017. It took a national internet search to find a dog actor for the movie A Dog's Way Home , more specifically a rescue dog to better convey the message of the film.
They eventually stumbled upon Shelby, who happened to be a Rottweiler-German Shepherd mix and was the only dog they could train in the timeframe, and she was deemed 'affectionate and agile.'
Shelby was chosen and then trained by Debbie Pearl for 3 months before the film's production, which involved a variety of tests to prove she was eligible enough for acting as the main character of the film, Bella. After the film's production, she was adopted by Debbie and is now a therapy dog for disabled children.
On January 8, 2019, Shelby was in a cast Q&A with Bryce Dallas Howard and W. Bruce Cameron. [7]
On January 15, 2019, Shelby was featured on Inside Edition . [8]
On March 4, 2019, Shelby was featured on the Los Angeles Times . [9]
On May 4, 2021, she was featured on the cover of A Dog's Courage .