California Woman Returned Her Weekend Foster Dog, Then Started Sobbing In The Parking Lot
After waiting over a year in a shelter, a California dog named Dottie went on a weekend foster trip. When it was time to go back, her foster mom realized she couldn’t let her go.
A Long Year In The Shadows
Some dogs wait far too long for a family to notice them.
For one sweet dog named Dottie, a whole year passed inside a kennel without anyone showing interest.
It took a temporary weekend foster trip to change the entire trajectory of her life.
A Mysterious Past
Dottie’s story began with heartbreak when she was found abandoned at a middle school.
She was taken to a shelter in McFarland, California, a city about an hour or two away from Los Angeles.
Because she already knew basic commands, rescuers suspected she had been owned by someone previously.
Yet, for an entire year, Dottie sat in the McFarland shelter, completely overlooked by potential adopters.
Eventually, she was transferred to a shelter in Los Angeles, hoping a change of scenery would help her find a home.
A Weekend Promise
At the Los Angeles shelter, a woman named Merritt noticed the quiet dog who had been waiting so long.
Since no one else seemed interested, Merritt decided to give Dottie a break from the stressful kennel environment.
She arranged to take Dottie home as a foster dog just for the weekend.
Merritt had made a strict promise to her boyfriend before bringing the dog home.
She assured him that they absolutely would not adopt, and this was strictly a short-term arrangement.
Tears In The Parking Lot
The weekend passed quickly, and Dottie proved to be a wonderful houseguest.
When Monday arrived, Merritt dutifully drove Dottie back to the shelter to return her.
She handed the leash back to the shelter staff, intending to walk away and keep her promise.
But as soon as she dropped Dottie off, Merritt was overcome with emotion.
“I just like started sobbing,” Merritt recalled, realizing she couldn’t bear to leave the dog behind.
The Second Chance Foster
Unable to shake the feeling that Dottie belonged with her, Merritt went right back to the shelter.
She signed up to foster Dottie again, bringing the sweet dog back to her house.
Even then, Merritt tried to convince herself that she still wasn’t going to adopt her permanently.
Her boyfriend was also hesitant, feeling it wasn’t the right time to add a pet to their lives.
More importantly, he was highly allergic to dogs, making a permanent adoption seem impossible.
Making It Official
Despite the obstacles, Merritt just kept holding onto Dottie.
Days turned into weeks, and the bond between the foster mom and the rescue dog only grew stronger.
Two months into the foster arrangement, Merritt finally admitted the truth to herself.
“I was like, I just have to adopt her,” Merritt explained.
The short-term weekend guest was officially home for good.
An Unexpected Best Friend
The biggest surprise of the adoption wasn’t Merritt’s change of heart, but her boyfriend’s.
Despite his initial reluctance and severe allergies, he fell madly in love with the little dog.
He began bringing her new toys and treats every single day when he came home from work.
To manage his allergies, Merritt committed to constant vacuuming and cleaning to lessen the dander in the house.
His willingness to sacrifice his comfort proved just how big of a part of their lives Dottie had become, and over time, his allergies actually began to improve.
Healing Invisible Wounds
While Dottie was safe, she still carried invisible scars from her past.
Merritt noted that Dottie had some trauma issues, which caused her to be reactive in certain situations.
Her new family understood that this reactivity was a function of her past trauma, not her true nature.
She also suffered from severe separation anxiety when left alone.
It took patience and love to help Dottie realize she was finally safe.
The Magic Of Blue’s Clues
To help with her separation anxiety, Merritt and her boyfriend tried leaving the television on when they left the house.
They experimented with several different shows, but only one did the trick.
For whatever reason, turning on episodes of *Blue’s Clues* completely calmed Dottie down.
Along with her favorite cartoon, Dottie also found comfort in a collection of five special blankets.
She sucks on them obsessively, a self-soothing habit Merritt believes stems from not getting enough time with her mother as a puppy.
Waiting By The Door
Today, the dog who sat unwanted in a shelter for a year knows nothing but love.
She is incredibly attached to her family, but she shares a particularly special bond with Merritt’s boyfriend.
When he leaves for work, Dottie will faithfully wait by the door all day for his return.
“It’s very sweet to watch because it’s pure adoration,” Merritt said.
For a dog who was once left behind at a middle school, having someone worth waiting for is the greatest gift of all.
