Dog Adopted After 458 Days in Shelter Runs into New Dad’s Arms

Rick spent over a year and a half in the Lakeshore PAWS shelter—458 days, in fact. So to say that Rick and the staff at the shelter were excited when he finally found a forever family would be an understatement.

When the big day arrived for Rick to be picked up by his new dad, Lakeshore PAWS made sure they had their cameras ready. Rick was let out of his kennel and immediately began furiously wagging his tail and pulling the employee to the front door.

It was an incredibly heartwarming moment when Rick saw Dan crouched down and calling his name. Rick ran straight into his extended arms!

We think he knew he was going to see his new dad, Dan!

Before his adoption, “Slick Rick” was the shelter’s longest-resident dog. He arrived on March 29, 2023. Despite lots of social media posts, special field trips, and a sponsored adoption, there were no takers for Rick, who the shelter staff says “loves attention and is a lap dog who is guaranteed to cuddle close to you.” They admitted the almost 5-year-old Lab/Retriever mix is “a bit of a nervous nellie,” but for them, he was an “absolute favorite.”

“Rick is an absolute favorite at the shelter amongst our volunteers. He has so much love to give to the ones he can trust,” they wrote on Facebook. “Rick loves to be as close to you as possible, right in your lap. If you look up Velcro dog in a dictionary, you will see a picture of Rick.”

“His biggest setback has been anxiety about meeting new people. Sometimes it might take 2-3 times to meet him before he decides that you’re best friends. There have been times that Rick knew right off the bat that someone was his buddy,” the shelter continued.

But on June 25, 2024, the shelter announced the best news. Rick had met that someone and was ready to officially leave the building. The staff were overjoyed and a little bit sad, but they all gave Rick a warm goodbye, happy in knowing that Rick will get the life he deserves.