The Dream of Happiness: A Dog’s Simple Wish
If dogs could speak, I’m sure they would define happiness as having a wonderful family who adores them and a loving home where they feel safe and cherished.
Unfortunately, many dogs struggle to find the happiness they all deserve and yearn for.
Chiquitita, a sweet 12-year-old pup, is one of the many shelter dogs on a heartfelt quest to find her forever parents and a place to call her own.
She has spent more than 650 long days hoping that someone would finally choose her and make her greatest dream of having a loving family come true.
A Difficult Past: Overcoming Trauma and Fear
Chiquitita’s journey has been fraught with hardship. Cruel individuals used her as a bait dog in a dogfighting ring, subjecting her to unimaginable trauma. After she was rescued from this horrific situation, she was brought to a shelter.
The poor dog felt deeply scared and needed considerable time to overcome the lingering effects of her past abuse. She was also diagnosed with arthritis, adding to her challenges.
The shelter where she was initially housed was facing overcrowding, and sadly, the adorable dog’s name was placed on their euthanasia list.
Fortunately, a former staff member at that shelter reached out to Watauga Humane Society, a shelter located in Boone, North Carolina, and implored them to save Chiquitita’s life.
The Watauga Humane Society compassionately took the dog into their care, offering her a chance at a better future.
As soon as the shelter staff at Watauga Humane Society met Chiquitita, they realized that this sweet dog would require an abundance of love and patience to overcome her profound fear and anxiety.
The staff members quickly fell in love with her gentle spirit and earnestly hoped that she would soon find her forever family. However, the shelter environment proved to be the antithesis of what Chiquitita truly needed.
“Shelter life was not for Chiqui. The noises terrified her, the floor was too slick for her comfort, and she was restless. She spent the first two weeks with us hanging out in our admin offices while she adjusted to her new surroundings,” Watauga Humane Society shared on Facebook, highlighting the challenges Chiquitita faced in the shelter.
She desperately needed a home of her own and loving parents who would consistently show her that she was deserving of love and kindness.
Thriving in Foster Care: Finding Joy and Comfort
Thankfully, a wonderful couple decided to foster her, providing her with immense love and helping her gradually overcome her fears. Chiquitita’s foster family quickly became enchanted with the adorable dog.
Chiquitita relished snuggling with them on the couch and eagerly enjoyed going on car rides. The love and care she received from her foster family enabled her to thrive and blossom into a happy and content pup. She was finally experiencing the joy of a loving home.
In an effort to increase her chances of adoption, her devoted fosters diligently taught her to walk politely on a leash and took her to various adoption events. They even creatively airdropped her photos to kind strangers they encountered during their walks, hoping to capture someone’s heart.
Despite being such an affectionate and charming dog, Chiquitita continued to wait patiently for her happily ever after.
The shelter staff believed that the primary reason for her extended wait was her lack of compatibility with other animals. She needed to be the only pet in her future home, a factor that narrowed her pool of potential adopters.
When Chiquitita’s initial foster family had to relocate to a new apartment, the pooch moved in with another loving foster family, continuing her journey of hope.
A Heartbreak and Renewed Hope: The Search Continues
Chiquitita’s sweet and affectionate personality deeply captivated the hearts of her second foster family. The loving pup had an abundance of love to give and enthusiastically showered her fosters with affectionate kisses.
In December 2023, Chiquitita’s second foster family made the decision to adopt her, bringing immense joy to the shelter staff and volunteers.
Her shelter friends were overjoyed for her, and many shed tears of happiness, believing that their dear girl had finally found her happiness after enduring 650 long days of waiting for a forever home. Chiquitita herself was the happiest pup imaginable.
However, in a heartbreaking turn of events, just a couple of months later, her adoptive family made the difficult decision to surrender Chiquitita back to the shelter, citing their inability to provide her with the specific care she required.
“We strongly believe that there is the right home for every shelter pet out there, but we also know that there is the wrong home for them as well. Not every pairing is a perfect match,” the shelter explained, acknowledging the complexities of finding the ideal home for every animal.
The North Carolina shelter thoughtfully requested that the Facebook community refrain from criticizing or shaming the family who made the difficult choice to return Chiquitita, emphasizing the importance of understanding and compassion.
Despite this disappointment, the resilient and loving pooch has not given up on her dream of finding her forever parents.
We sincerely hope that Chiquitita will soon find the enduring happiness she has so patiently and persistently sought.
This lovely girl deserves to finally discover her own devoted family who will cherish her unconditionally and shower her with the love she so richly deserves.
