Papa used to have a family and a home. He thought that he would always stay with his humans, but, sadly, when he least expected it, his happiness came to an end.
His family decided to move, and they surrendered the doggo to the Benton-Franklin Humane Society, located in Kennewick, Washington.
The loving shelter staff helped Papa adapt to the new environment and accept the fact that his former family wasn’t coming back for him.
The pup missed his home and his people, but as days passed, he got used to shelter life and started dreaming of getting a second chance at happiness.
The Long Wait
The staff hoped that Papa wouldn’t wait long for his new home.
He was everything that an owner could wish for in a dog. The pup had a delightful personality and enjoyed the little things in life. He loved going on car rides and playing fetch.
However, as time went by, Papa remained at the shelter. Since he needed to be the only pet in the household, finding a home was more challenging. Still, he never gave up hope of finding his happily ever after.
Even after he spent more than 915 days waiting and earning the title of the shelter’s longest resident, Papa was still in a good mood.
He was happy for other shelter residents who found a home. He always wagged his tail when he saw them leaving their kennels in the arms of their new parents.
Julie Saraceno, who volunteers at the same shelter, posted a video on her Instagram which shows Papa’s excitement at seeing his doggy friends find forever families while he continues waiting.
“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 that his miracle would happen.
Since Saraceno knew how much the dog loved playing fetch, she rented a Sniffspot, giving him a chance to have his own backyard at least for some time.
Papa enjoyed playing fetch for hours and on his way back to the shelter, he stuck his head out the window. Saraceno was delighted to see him enjoy his day off.
The pup wasn’t fond of cats, but he started making friends with other dogs. The staff was convinced that he would have no trouble living with a sibling as long as the match was right.
The Unconditional Love He Deserved
The video garnered a lot of attention on Instagram and users flooded the comments section with heartwarming wishes 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.”
On September 1, 2025, the best possible news arrived! Papa found his forever home after years of waiting.
The pup was a picture of happiness when he left the Washington shelter and headed toward his forever home. The long wait finally paid off and his dream came true.
Papa’s new mom opened a Facebook account for the pup where she shared the news of his adoption and shared photos of him in his new home.
“He’s adjusting well and we are bonding 🖤🤍perfectly!!” she said in the post.
We couldn’t be happier for sweet Papa. He turned over a new leaf and began the best chapter of his life. He will finally receive the love he has always longed for.