A shelter dog named Scrabble believed he had finally found his forever home, only to face the crushing disappointment of being returned in less than 72 hours.
72 hours is way too little time for anyone to get used to a new environment and people, let alone a little puppy who had already been through so much.
The emotional rollercoaster of hope and despair is sadly all too familiar for countless dogs awaiting adoption.
Shelters all around the country report about the increasing number of surrenders. It’s the crushing reality they have to face every single day, and sadly, it’s only getting worse.
Let Scrabble’s story be a reminder to all of us that we have to do better for our best furry friends.
Puppy Named Scrabble
This sweet and loving puppy named Scrabble was adopted from and then returned to Schultz’s Guest House, a dog shelter in Dedham, Massachusetts, in less than 72 hours.
But, his story doesn’t actually start there, as heartbreaking as it was.
Scrabble was actually a resident of Tennessee, where he was facing almost certain euthanization. Luckily, he was pulled out from that shelter and transported north to Schultz’s Guest House.
“He was in a high kill shelter with his brother Checkers. Our foster carers in the south keep a close eye on euthanasia lists and pull dogs that they see have the opportunity to live a better life and be adopted out through our shelter,” Merrill Fortier from the Schultz’s Guest House told Newsweek magazine.
Unfortunately, Fortier reports that the situation in Tennessee is not good and they are actually rescuing many dogs from high-kill shelters and off the streets.
But, it’s not only Tennessee – this is a growing problem for many shelters around the country.
According to the Pet Adoption Statistics, published by the ASPCA, 6.3 million pets are surrendered to shelters across the USA each year.
Although shelters are dedicated to finding the perfect forever home for each pet in their care, carefully vetting all of their applicants, the returns still happen often.
Fortier said that she has seen pets being returned anywhere between 24 hours, two weeks, and even years after adoption.
In most cases, pets are returned for unjustifiable reasons.
Scrabble, for example, was returned because he was “too much” for his new family.
After being almost euthanized at seven months old, boarded in rescue, transported north, and living as the shelter guest, Scrabble wasn’t even given a proper chance by his “new family”.
Happy Tails Scrabble
“All of our adoption coordinators reiterate these aspects prior to adopting, that owning a dog is a lifetime commitment, but the excitement of bringing home a cute new puppy sometimes outweighs the rationale,” Fortier said.
All rescue dogs, especially Scrabble, experience a lot of change in a short period of time, and they just need love and time to decompress and get used to their new environment.
Read more: The 3-3-3 Rule Will Help Your Dog Adapt Into A New Home Faster
“The first few days in a home are tough. They need time to decompress and settle into a new environment. On top of that, puppies are a time commitment. They are active, they need training, they need patience. Scrabble didn’t even get a chance,” the shelter wrote in their Facebook post.
The 7-month-old baby was the victim of irresponsible owners, but he still had so much to offer.
While his brother was already enjoying life at his forever home, Scrabble was hoping for another shot at happiness.
“He’s one of the most affectionate dogs we’ve encountered in a while. He’s curious and intelligent and is bound to be a very loyal companion. This 7-month-old baby is hoping for another shot. Could you commit to this loving boy?” the shelter said in a post that quickly went viral.
Scrabble’s story made quite the splash on social media, thankfully so, because his new parents were able to hear about him and absolutely fall in love with this beautiful boy.
Scrabble was adopted, hopefully now, forever.
“Scrabble (now Timmy) is heading to North Attleboro where he will have lots of land to roam and two kitty siblings. He’ll be walking 4 miles a day with dad. He’s already settling in beautifully and will have a long happy life with his new loving family!” the shelter wrote.
Scrabble (Timmy), you deserve nothing short of a long life full of happiness. Hopefully, your new family will be able to erase all the trauma you’ve experienced.
