Imagine how sad we felt when Drogo returned just a week after we adopted him, after spending 500 days in the shelter.
For many shelter dogs, days turn into years as they patiently await the warmth of a loving home. While some dogs quickly find their forever homes, others, like Drogo, endure long periods of uncertainty in the hope of a chance at a better future.
Living within the confines of the four kennel walls is a definite improvement over life on the streets. But the monotony of staring at the same four walls for over two years will definitely affect the well-being of your delicate and furry creature.
a heartbreaking story
Drogo, an American pit bull terrier, came to the Austin Animal Center after being abandoned by his owner. His owner was supposed to come back to get him, but that didn’t happen, so the poor dog started looking for his forever home.
Days, weeks and months passed, but no one came to adopt him. Other dogs reached the shelter and quickly left, but not Drogo.
He always stayed.
Drogo soon became the shelter’s longest-serving resident. All the volunteers and staff love him dearly, but they want nothing more than for Drogo to find a good home.
“I know you shouldn’t play favorites… but Drogo is my favorite. He thinks he’s a lapdog, and we haven’t had the heart to tell him otherwise. Drogo is house-trained, doesn’t bark much, and did well with my 6-year-old son. He’s a friend to every person he meets and quickly became a volunteer favorite. Drogo has been in the shelter for a year now, one of the longest stay dogs, and is so ready to have a home of his own,” said Jessica, one of the volunteers at the ACC.
Then, one day, it finally happened… this beautiful boy who waited so long at the shelter was finally adopted.
However, it appeared that it wasn’t meant to be because only a week later, he was sadly returned to the shelter.
Drogo was heartbroken as well as everyone at the Austin Animal Center.
“We are all crushed that Drogo was returned to the shelter so quickly. He was one of the longest stay dogs at the shelter, and now he’s back again. He’s devastated. It’s not fair,” one of the shelter workers wrote on TikTok.
After waiting for so long, he wasn’t even given a proper chance.
@goodboygonehome We are all crushed that Drogo was returned to the shelter so quickly. He was one of the longest stay dogs at the shelter and now he’s back again. He’s devastated. It’s not fair. #austinanimalcenter #austinanimalshelter #longstay #adoptme #pitbulllove #pitbullsoftiktok #returned #shelterdog ♬ original sound – Dog Tales Rescue
Finally, A Happy Ending
Thankfully, the shelter did not give up on him, and they worked even harder in finding Drogo a forever home.
The videos that the shelter posted got thousands of views, and several magazines around the country wrote an article about him, but still, no one came to adopt Drogo.
They just couldn’t understand it because he was such a good boy.
“He’s house-trained, loves walks, and is so sweet. Someone please take him home!” the worker said in one of her videos.
There simply wasn’t any interest in adopting him.
@goodboygonehome 74 pets found forever homes today at the annual Clear the Shelters event. So happy for all of them! Sadly, Drogo wasn’t one of them. He’s still waiting for his own family @Austin Animal Center #cleartheshelters #austinanimalcenter #austinanimalshelter #longstay #adoptme #pitbullsoftiktok #pitbulllove #shelterdog #dogsoftiktok #animalshelter ♬ original sound – sweetsaudioz
Drogo then celebrated his 4th birthday, and also his 550th day at the shelter.
A volunteer decided to throw him a birthday party. They all had one wish for him – to finally get adopted, but this time, truly forever.
“It must have been a good luck charm because Drogo was ADOPTED today after 500+ days in the shelter,” the shelter wrote in their Facebook post.
Drogo, you sweet boy… you didn’t deserve to wait that long, and you certainly didn’t deserve all the heartbreak.
But, you now have (hopefully) a forever home and a person who will be able to mend your broken heart.
