Shelter Dog Was No Longer Deemed ‘Adoptable’ Until a Human Refused to Give Up on Him

300 days is a long time for any dog to spend waiting in a shelter, and Saint had watched countless pups leave while he stayed behind. When someone finally showed interest in giving him a home, it seemed his long wait might finally be over. Instead, an unfortunate incident caused the shelter to reevaluate him and remove his adoptable status. That setback, however, did not stop one determined person from fighting for him.

Shelter dog was only considered for rescue until a human decided to adopt him

Saint, a shelter dog featured by the Instagram account @helpingforgottenpaws, spent nearly 300 days waiting for someone to choose him. During that time, he watched other dogs leave the shelter while he remained behind. A video shared by the account shows Saint sitting quietly inside his kennel, appearing withdrawn as he waited.

The person behind the account had previously shared Saint in hopes of finding him a home. Looking back, they said they believed Saint had already “deteriorated” considerably during his time in the shelter. As such, they had not initially realized how much he was struggling.

The post eventually generated significant interest in Saint, and someone was finally prepared to come forward for him. However, when the person arrived, an unfortunate incident occurred that led the shelter to reevaluate Saint. As a result, he was no longer considered adoptable and was instead designated as “rescue only.”

That change could have meant an even longer wait for Saint, but one person refused to give up. Chris, who was determined to adopt Saint, continued searching for a rescue organization willing to take him in despite the setback.

His efforts eventually paid off. Saint was pulled from the shelter by Saving Death Row Dogs, giving him a way forward after nearly 300 days of waiting. The rescue arrangement also meant that Saint could continue toward the home that Chris had been preparing to give him.

Before joining Chris permanently, Saint will complete a two-week board-and-train program. The program will give him time to adjust and work through the transition before he begins life in his new home.

The video captures the moment Saint finally leaves the shelter, followed by footage of him sitting in a car as he begins his next chapter. After spending so long watching other dogs leave without him, he was finally on his way out for good.