Papa once had a home and a family. He believed he would always be surrounded by the people he loved. But everything changed when his family decided to move and surrendered him to the Benton-Franklin Humane Society in Kennewick, Washington.
The shelter staff welcomed him with open arms and helped him adjust to his new surroundings. They knew his former family wouldn’t be coming back, and they did everything they could to help him feel safe.
Though Papa missed his old life, he slowly began to settle into the shelter and started dreaming of a second chance.
Waiting Day After Day
Everyone at the shelter hoped Papa wouldn’t have to wait long to find a new home.
He had a wonderful personality and loved simple joys like car rides and playing fetch. But because he needed to be the only pet in the household, finding the right match proved more difficult.
Despite the challenge, Papa never lost hope. Even after spending more than 915 days at the shelter and becoming its longest resident, he remained cheerful.
Papa celebrated every adoption around him. He wagged his tail with joy whenever another dog left the shelter in the arms of their new family.
Julie Saraceno, a volunteer at the shelter, shared a video on her Instagram showing Papa’s happiness as he watched his fellow dogs find homes while he continued to wait.
“When you’ve been a shelter dog for 915 days, but you haven’t lost hope and you love celebrating the other dogs dreams come true”, the caption reads.
Papa believed his moment would come.
Knowing how much he loved fetch, Saraceno rented a Sniffspot so Papa could enjoy a backyard of his own, even if just for a day.
He played for hours, and on the ride back to the shelter, he stuck his head out the window, soaking in the joy of his outing. Saraceno was thrilled to see him so happy.
Though he wasn’t fond of cats, Papa had begun warming up to other dogs. The staff believed he could live with a canine sibling if the match was right.
Finally Receiving The Love He Always Needed
The Instagram video drew widespread attention, and the comments overflowed with kind messages for Papa.
“He’s SO sweet, especially given the shelter environment. Imagine him in a safe home with kind, caring people. He’s so very deserving,” one user, Sco2nc, wrote.
Julieann_durrough said: “Papa still patiently waiting, praying for you bud.”
Then, the moment everyone had hoped for arrived. Papa was adopted into a loving forever home.
He radiated happiness as he left the shelter behind and headed toward his new life. After years of waiting, his dream had finally come true.
His new mom created a Facebook account to share updates and photos of Papa enjoying his new home.
“He’s adjusting well and we are bonding 🖤🤍perfectly!!” she said in the post.
Papa’s journey has entered a beautiful new chapter. After so much time spent waiting, he is finally surrounded by the love he always deserved.