04/06/2026
I’ve been running nonstop today with all the Easter bookings, but I couldn’t let the day end without sharing something really special.
Monkey is home! A real, forever home. The kind with a big yard all to himself, kids to grow up with, and a family that loves him exactly as he is… chaos and all. And if you’ve ever met Monkey, you know what kind of special home that has to be.
His story with me started on October 22, 2024. Someone had posted him on a local lost and found page after he’d spent a few days sleeping on a stranger’s doormat.
When I went to get him, he was still there, just waiting for them to let him in. He ran over to me as I got out of my car and immediately hugged me. I couldn’t just leave him there. I wouldn’t.
I quickly named him Monkey because of his injured tail, likely a birth defect, which hooks like a monkey’s… and because he loves to gently climb up your legs to give his signature “hug.”
I thought it would be simple: scan for a chip, hold onto him for a couple of days, and reunite him with his owner. He had a worn-out collar, so someone had to be missing him, right? But no one came. No one knew anything about the dog who was clearly dumped on the side of the road, wandered up to the first house he found, and waited at their doorstep for someone to help him.
What I expected to be a quick favor turned into 517 days, 1 year and 5 months, from October 22, 2024, to March 22, 2026.
In that time, I covered all of his care myself: his neuter, vaccines, preventatives, food, toys, and the many kennels he destroyed before finally being gifted a metal one through Lorraine's Legacy Santa Paws. (As a side note, I truly can’t thank them enough for their support in helping him find his home. Please give them a follow and, if you’re able, consider donating to their medical fund. They do incredible work, and it’s an honor to work with them!)
But back to Monkey.
People made sure I heard it all. He was too much, too unstable, too crazy. That a dog who panicked and screamed in a kennel until he was hoarse would never adjust to a normal home. People close to me, people I respect, told me to give up. “Take him to the shelter. It doesn’t have to be your problem.”
But I knew what would happen if I did. The average person wouldn’t be able to handle him. He would be adopted because he was cute, then returned again and again until he ran out of chances.
I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t. Just like I couldn’t leave him on that doorstep.
And truthfully, I had grown attached to him. A dog that needs that much time and effort has a way of stealing your heart. I needed to see where he would end up. I needed to know he was okay. I needed his future family to know I would ALWAYS have his back.
Monkey was never an easy dog. He had no structure, no training, and no idea how to exist in a home. He wasn’t potty trained, he pulled like a freight train on leash, and he treated crates like a personal challenge to escape, just so he could be right under your feet.
But underneath all of that, he was just Monkey. Affectionate, clingy, and full of personality.
He did get adopted once, briefly, in June 2025. It lasted less than 24 hours before she asked me to come get him.
The reason? He was “too needy.” Too affectionate. Too much. Too… himself.
About a month ago, I made another post in some local groups, just hoping his person might be out there scrolling at the right time. And they were!
I heard from both Angel and Nick, within a minute of each other. No discussion needed. They were already on the same page, searching for a dog, specifically a pit mix rescue, to bring into their newly bought home to complete their family.
They met him that week and showed up with a banana toy just for him. They wanted to take him home that day but needed time to prepare their new home for their new family member.
Two weeks ago today, I made the drive to Virginia and brought him home.
He hasn’t been perfect, and they never expected him to be. He’s shown them all of himself, the good and the challenging. And boy, he can be challenging…
I checked in recently and reminded them there was no pressure, that I would always take him back if needed. They told me, “he’s a work in progress, but he’s ours.”
For a year and a half, while helping Monkey and Pumpkin (who will be getting his own adoption story post soon!), I was accidentally building a rescue around one simple idea:
Refuse to give up. (It works pretty well with Dumpster Dogs, get it… refuse? 😅)
Because rescue isn’t easy. It’s exhausting, emotional, and expensive. It asks more from you than you’ll ever get back.
But moments like this make everything worth it.
Watching a dog so many people counted out finally land exactly where he belongs, not in spite of who he is, but because of it.
Welcome home, Monkey. I’ll always miss your headbutts. 🐾🍌🐒💛
