I kept wondering why Toby was so unwanted that his past owners decided to let him go.
It wasn’t because he was aggressive, since he’s one of the sweetest dogs ever and doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. It wasn’t because he was unfriendly, as Toby simply doesn’t do hostility. So, what was the reason?
Then, I found out, and it truly broke my heart.
Through all those times his families gave up on him, it was never Toby’s fault. And it certainly wasn’t his fault that he ended up spending two more years at the shelter after that.
Thankfully, Maddison Egan, a Florida woman, saw this and decided to give Toby another chance.
Toby Was Given Away Three Different Times
Toby’s life was anything but easy. This six-year-old pup was rehomed three times in four years, and it took a toll on him.
The first time, he lost his home after being valued only for his looks. Sadly, Toby was used as a breeding dog and was neglected once his owner no longer needed him. After that, he was rehomed two more times — once because of a landlord issue and once for reasons that were never clear.
Then came Maddison.
After his series of unlucky family situations, Toby arrived at a Humane Society. He was welcomed immediately and became the shelter’s sweetheart.
Maddison met him several times and quickly fell for him. Once she learned his full story, she was completely heartbroken.
“He lived in the shelter for two years and I found out that he was rehomed three times,” Maddison stated for GeoBeats Animals.
On top of that, Toby was completely shut down.
“He was very quiet. It just almost looked like he’d just given up after being there for so long. I could just see it in his eyes that he was just attention deprived, deprived of love, just needing affection,” Maddison added.
Then came the turning point.
Toby’s sad history made Maddison want to help him even more, and within days he was in her home. She initially took him in as a foster to make sure he was ready for adoption.
But it didn’t take long before she knew he was staying for good.
From Foster To Forever
It only took five hours. After getting home, they spent some time settling in together, and just five hours later, Maddison realized Toby was her forever dog.
He was sweet, affectionate, and immediately bonded with his new owner, making the transition incredibly smooth.
In many ways, it felt like Toby had always belonged to Maddison. His love for her was obvious from the start.
A week later, Toby began playing with toys and showing his lively personality. Every morning when he woke up and realized he was still in his new home, you could tell how happy he was.
And then there’s his gaze.
Toby has the softest, most loving eyes, and they make his mom’s heart melt.
“Dogs don’t lock eyes that much with humans unless they feel secure. And sometimes that’s all he does, just looks at me right in my soul,” says Maddison.
Toby is finally right where he belongs. He’s far away from more rehoming and heartbreak, and he’s learning every day what it means to be loved.
Wishing Toby and Maddison a wonderful life together filled with exciting adventures ahead.