Spinach arrived at Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) as a tiny puppy with a ruptured eye, and if the shelter hadn’t stepped in, his life would have ended there. After the removal of his injured eye, the sweet puppy began to feel much better, and those who cared for him hoped his adoption would follow soon.
But sadly, over 432 days passed, and Spinach was still waiting for the loving home he deserved.
A Puppy Full of Hope
When Spinach first came to the shelter, he was a playful and optimistic puppy. But after more than a year of waiting, his hope began to fade. Despite his weariness, the staff and volunteers who had grown fond of him couldn’t bear to see him give up.
“When he was in the playgroup, he was happy and joyful because he loved to play with other dogs,” said Frankie Helfey, an APA! Volunteer to The Dodo. “But then, you’d see him in his kennel, and it was heartbreaking. You could tell how sad he was. He wasn’t eating much or losing weight, and we had to get creative. For the last two months, I gave him 2-4 bowls of food each day to see what he might eat.”
The team at APA! Knew that Spinach needed to find a home as quickly as possible. They shared his story on social media, showcasing what an amazing dog he was—and, miraculously, it worked.
A family in Oklahoma saw Spinach’s story and decided to give him the home he had been waiting for. After a year of waiting, Spinach was finally on his way to his forever home.
A Happy Ending at Last
“There were many happy tears and some anxious moments as he made his way to Oklahoma,” Helfey shared. “We were cautious but hopeful. Sometimes, these dogs just need someone to give them a chance.”
Now that Spinach is settled into his new home, he’s enjoying all the love and attention he has longed for. It was a long wait, but it was worth it for the happy ending he now has.
“I’m going to miss his face,” Helfey said. “As a volunteer, you spend so much time building these bonds, and while you know you’ll miss them, you never want to see them back in the shelter.”