Every day endured in a shelter is torment for a dog. Regardless of how pet-friendly it might be, it’s not the ideal environment for a being whose need for love and warm embraces from their favorite human is as vital as food and water. Imagine the profound despair of a dog who’s been stuck in such a cold and isolated place for nearly four years; this is a harsh reality for many dogs in today’s world. One such dog is Elle, who entered a shelter in Austin, Texas, back in December, almost four years ago.
As time passed, Elle began to lose faith that she would ever feel the warmth of a loving home. However, one compassionate shelter employee who spent significant time with her refused to abandon hope.
She Did Not Give Up On Her
Throughout her time at Austin Pets Alive (APA!), a Texas shelter, Elle was quite anxious, particularly early on. Nonetheless, she developed friendships with almost everyone at the shelter, and one person, in particular, caught her affection: Kaitlan Warmbrod, a dog behavior training supervisor who cherished Elle in return. It was clear to Kaitlan that Elle simply needed someone to share her love with.
“We clicked so quickly,” Kaitlan shared with The Dodo. “When I first met her, I had just started at APA!. We played fetch, and when it was time to leave, she grew sad and fell into my lap. Typically, dogs take time to warm up, but she instantly became attached to me. I became invested because I couldn’t understand why she had been there for so long.”
Kaitlan dedicated all her efforts to help this dog find lasting happiness, and eventually, someone noticed Elle and fell in love with her. All staff at the shelter eagerly awaited her final day, especially Kaitlan, who couldn’t fathom the joy it would bring Elle.
A Goodbye Party Full Of Emotions
John, a kind-hearted man, was deeply moved by Elle’s long stay at the shelter. After coming across her social media post, he reached out to the shelter staff at APA! and organized a meeting with her. After several visits to help Elle acclimate to him, he eventually decided to foster her.
Even though a permanent home would have been ideal, Kaitlan and the other shelter workers were thrilled and arranged a farewell party for their longest resident. They anticipated that Elle would be overjoyed to discover it was her last celebration at the shelter, but even they could hardly imagine the extent of her happiness; she wasn’t just thrilled—she lost her mind with joy!
The highlight of the party was a tasty peanut butter goodbye cake that made the moments even more special. After Elle departed from the shelter in Austin, Texas, Kaitlan and her coworkers felt an immense joy they believed was unmatched until they received a call from John, informing them that he was officially on the foster-to-adopt path, hoping to make Elle a permanent part of his family!
