Animal shelters work tirelessly to help every single dog in their care find a loving forever home.
One way they introduce their residents to potential adopters is through special adoption events. So when Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) based in Orlando, Florida, planned one of these events, they knew exactly who would be the star of the day.
Amid the adorable puppies and small, hypoallergenic dogs stood their oldest and longest resident, a sweet senior pup who only wanted to be part of a real family.
Introducing Baby Girl, The Longest-Resident Pup
An incredible Pittie mix named Baby Girl came to the Orlando shelter after being rescued from a terrifying, life-threatening situation.
“[S]omeone watched a timid dog try and cross a busy interstate. They were able to stop the dog and get her inside their car, possibly saving her life,” OCAS wrote on Facebook.
The rescuer quickly rushed Baby Girl to the OCAS headquarters, where she received the warmest welcome.
After settling in, she met the OCAS veterinary team for a full check-up.
The results showed she was a healthy 9-year-old, and she showed everyone just how sweet she was.
“She is sweet and gentle with people and has shared her space with other dogs. We don’t know anything about her past life or how long she was a stray. But we do know one thing: [S]he deserves better than spending her senior years inside our kennels,” OCAS wrote on Facebook.
Finding Comfort In A Loving Foster Home
Even though the staff worked hard to find her a forever home, they knew a foster home would help Baby Girl relax in the meantime.
Thankfully, one of their volunteers, Su Morrison, had completely fallen for Baby Girl and happily agreed to foster her.
Being in a real home made a huge difference. Away from the loud shelter and in a loving space, Baby Girl finally opened up, showing her playful, silly side to her foster parents.
“Having Baby in our home … it’s a pleasure. The longer she stays, the more we see what an absolute goofball she is. She is such a happy girl,” Morrison wrote to OCAS, later shared on Facebook.
Holding On To Hope At The Adoption Event
Even though she loved her foster home, Baby Girl still held onto her dream of finding her forever family.
When OCAS organized their big adoption event, they made sure she was front and center, hoping someone would finally notice her.
But no one did. At the event, people walked past her kennel without even saying hello. Nobody stopped. Nobody asked about her. She was completely overlooked, and it broke her heart.
When the event was over, fifty-eight OCAS dogs had found homes. Sadly, Baby Girl went back to her foster family feeling more defeated than ever.
“No one is lining up outside for hours for this sweet girl. No one is fighting for her. No one is begging to adopt her, and it’s heartbreaking,” OCAS wrote.
Just when Baby Girl thought there was no hope left, something amazing happened.
A Forever Home Finally Becomes Reality
Morrison, Baby Girl’s foster mom, realized she couldn’t let her go. She loved her too much.
So she made the decision to adopt her for good.
Now, Baby Girl is living out her dream, spending her days with her favorite hoomans by going on long, relaxing walks and car rides!
And she couldn’t be happier.“Another foster fail, another happy dog,” Morrison wrote in a Facebook comment.