Maddie's Story: When the Shelter Becomes Home

Less than a month ago, I wrote this post about Maddie, an adorable pup who had been at the Humane Society of Knox County for over two years, waiting for her forever home. The problem with Maddie, it turns out, was that this sweet girl had gotten very, very comfortable with her life at HSKC. She went for outings, got lots of visitors, participated in the Youthlinks Run-a-Hound program, and even had her very own outdoor kennel and doghouse made. For a dog who'd never really experienced the charms of being a full-time, live-in pet for a single family, Maddie's life at HSKC seemed like a pretty good gig.

The problem was that Maddie had become so enamored with her life at the shelter, she would shut down when she was taken to a potential adopter's house. She would starve herself, get stress-induced hot spots, try to escape... For two years, people interested in adopting the pup would bring her home only to return her a few days or a week later, frantic at Maddie's behavior.

"It was like she was doing everything she could to be brought back," Jen, one of the shelter workers, explained recently. "She just didn't know how to handle being in this whole new setting - here maybe it wasn't perfect, but at least she knew what she was getting, and she really had a pretty good life here."

Today, I'm pleased to say that Maddie seems to have found her perfect match - a former vet tech and experienced foster mom who is dealing admirably with all of Maddie's tricks.

"She starved herself that first week," Jen tells me. "And the woman says she can see a little bit of a hot spot on her tail - and about eight days in, Maddie got away, but the woman just drove up, opened the door and said, 'Maddie, wanna go for a ride?' and Maddie hopped right in."

Maddie has been in her new, hopefully-forever home for almost two weeks now - longer than any potential placement she had over the course of over two years living with HSKC.

"People thought we were crazy, keeping a dog that long, but she was such a sweet girl, we just knew if we hung in there long enough, somebody would come along."

There are very few animal shelters who have the resources to keep a dog like Maddie indefinitely, waiting for the right home to come along. At the Humane Society of Knox County, the policy is that no animal will ever be euthanized for a lack of space. In order to maintain that policy, the shelter works hard to maintain relationships with foster families, keep their adoption rates up, and do everything they can to help families in need keep their pets rather than surrendering them for financial or behavioral issues. Regardless of their efforts, it takes an extraordinary amount of resources to hold to their goal of remaining a shelter that puts animals to sleep only in cases where illness or behavioral issues make euthanasia the most humane option. In the case of Maddie - the dog who would not be placed, the mutt most likely to live out her days never knowing the love of a family - it seems that all the hard work the devoted staff and volunteers at the Humane Society of Knox County put in to keep their charges alive and well until the right forever home comes along, has indeed paid off.