After waiting 16 months, Ren found a home.

And with a very special person: Ren’s foster mom decided he could drop the “foster” and just call her “mom.” ❤️❤️❤️

Some folks call this a “Foster Fail,” but we call it a total win. In the words of his human momma:

“Ren had been at the shelter for 8 months, and was starting to shut down. He was not a happy dog. As an HSHV volunteer dog walker and foster, I convinced my husband to bring Ren for a short shelter break. That break turned into an eight month foster. It took Ren over a week to decompress from being in the shelter environment. It took another three weeks for him to settle in and adjust to our home routine. We slowly introduced him to our HSHV alum dog Maddie (who is dog selective) by doing “buddy walks” and letting them see each other through gates in the house. After eight months of fostering Ren, my husband, Maddie and I knew we couldn’t let him out of our lives. We adopted Ren into our family on September 16, 2022 and couldn’t be happier to be foster failures.”

Ren’s journey showcases so many important lessons. That fostering is critical for animals like him who shut down in a shelter environment. That dogs need patience and time to settle into their new lifestyle. That a slow introduction between doggy siblings can lead to true canine friendships. We are so grateful to all the staff and volunteers who helped Ren during the past year and a half, and especially to his new family!