Two and half years into his stay at Southern Souls Animal League (SSAL), Sammy — the Alabama shelter’s longest resident — has finally found his forever home. And, making the situation even more joyful, his new family includes two of his canine shelter pals, WTVY reports.
The family’s story began a year ago when Jennifer Rich adopted Newman, a pit bull who had lived at SSAL for more than nine months. Once Newman fully adjusted to life in his new home, Rich returned to the shelter hoping to adopt a canine buddy for him. The staff suggested several dogs, but Rich chose someone no one expected.
“Never in my wildest of dreams would I have thought she would have chosen Sammy,” the shelter posted on Facebook. “He’s our longest resident (934 days or 2 yrs 6 mths)! Why was he with us so long? He’s extremely shy, and it takes a while for him to trust you.”
But Sammy wasn’t the only lucky dog to head home with Rich that day. A high-energy, water-loving girl named Winnie, affectionately described by staff as “a walking ball of friendship,” also joined the family.
In a comment on SSAL’s Facebook post about the adoptions, Rich expressed gratitude for “three fantastic dogs from SSAL” and attached a short video of the dogs playfully wrestling.
“Winnie and Sammy are doing great! Both love their backyard and have quickly adapted to being couch dogs,” Rich wrote. “Sammy is still coming out of his shell, but he’s started to open up over the past two days. The best part for us is the three dogs and our three cats are vibing just fine.“
Lady Freethinker applauds Jennifer Rich for adopting these dogs, and also for looking past Sammy’s shyness and giving him a chance. Whether shyness in a dog is caused by previous trauma, or is simply a personality trait, there are a number of ways you can help your shy dog grow their confidence. And remember, patience is key to helping a nervous dog feel more calm and at ease around others.
For another heartwarming story about shelter animal adoption, check out our story on the visually-impaired kittens who found their forever home together!
