08/11/2025
Happy Tail Adoption
MORGAN!!!!
**Imagine spending 16 months in a shelter, just waiting for that perfect person to walk through the door and give you the chance you always deserved.**
I remember that phone call like it was yesterday—it was a chilly day in March. We were under construction, our kennels were full, and there was literally no space to be had. Then came the call: a dog had been found near Killdeer, next to the highway, with a bag of food and in major distress.
By the time she arrived, she was delivering puppies in the back of the vehicle. Leary and confused, I gently removed her and her just-minutes-old puppies and placed them in the only partially finished room in our new building—our new parvo room. No air flow, not quite ready, but she needed us more than we realized.
She was a fierce protector of her puppies, nipping several kennel staff, but for some reason, she trusted me. Eventually, she allowed one more staff member into her circle, but for the first month, it was just the two of us who could be near her.
At the time, we didn’t have any outdoor kennels in the new area, and it was nothing but mud outside. I had a little “chat” with her about not running away from me—and she clearly understood the assignment. I still have the videos of her zooming through the mud, no leash, no fence—pure joy.
Once her puppies were weaned and quickly adopted, her guard slowly came down. She began accepting all kennel staff, but the adoption floor was overwhelming for her. She started to decline behaviorally and began nipping again, so we moved her to the back where there was less public traffic. That change made all the difference—some dogs, like her and Chayton, simply don’t thrive on the adoption floor.
As the months went by, I began to wonder if I should just bring her home myself. I had loved her from the very start. She was the most loyal girl, and when she loved, she loved deeply. She may have nipped more potential adopters than I would have liked, but I believe there’s someone for every dog, and she deserved the very best.
Then one day, a woman came into the shelter asking about Morgan. Calm, soft-spoken, and kind—Morgan liked her instantly. I went into the room to watch them together, and I felt such a wave of relief.
After 16 months—without ever getting to experience a foster home—Morgan was adopted. And now? She’s thriving. She’s learned the joy of a couch, the comfort of blankets, and the warmth of snuggles. She has a dog friend to share her days with, and it’s everything I could have hoped for her.
These are the moments I love most—seeing long-term residents like Chayton and Morgan finally get the homes they deserve.
Friends—**adopt**. Please give these shelter animals a chance. It may not always be easy, but I promise you—it’s worth it.
