A few things are sadder than when a dog who once had a home is left abandoned. Fortunately, good people at humane societies do their best to help every sad pup find a new home and a loving, furever family.
One such society is the Metro East Humane Society from Madison Country, Illinois.
Metro East Humane Society organizes an adoption event every Black Friday, during which they encourage local sponsors to cover adoption fees. This means you can get your pooch at an even lower price than you normally would!
2023 was their most successful year yet, and the society, paired with the Dunn Family and Trouw Nutrition, managed to adopt 94 animals – out of which 64 were dogs. This meant that all the dogs at their Highland location got adopted!
All except for one.
She Had To Play Alone
Once the Black Friday adoption event was over, Frito, a 2-year-old Pitbull mix, was the only dog left behind.
“She is a very lovely and deserving girl, so it was a shame that she was overlooked and no one came forward for her. We all know how special Frito is, so to see so many people pass her by was upsetting,” Ali Hillard, the program manager, said.
When she returned to the shelter, Frito was devastated. Not only did she not find a new home, but she was also the only pup left at the shelter, which was extremely lonely.
However, she didn’t allow sadness to overcome her. Tomorrow, it was a new day, and she decided she was going to make the most of it.
And because no one was there to play with her, she found a companion in her new, imaginary friend.
Just look at that girl running around! Nothing can stop her from having the time of her life.
Still, this was no way for such a young dog to live. While she did appear happy, the staff at the shelter knew she would do best with other humans and dogs.
Luckily for her, her good temperament made everyone believe she would find a new home in no time.
“This girl is so playful and loves to be out on walks! Frito has to be accompanied by her emotional support toy. She is such a goofball and loves to run around. She is a very smart girl and knows how to sit pretty for her favorite treat! Frito enjoys other dog friends and appears to be potty trained. It’s likely she would also do well with older kiddos,” the staff said.
Still, days have passed, and no one has applied to get her.
Sad Statistics
It’s unfortunate that Frito is not the only dog that ended in this situation.
According to CBS News, in 2023, there were 250,000 more animals in the shelters than the previous year.
San Diego Humane Society has also reported a 20% increase in lost pets that owners never retrieved.
There are many reasons why people abandon their pets. Sometimes, the reasons are hard to judge, as many people find themselves homeless or in bad financial situations that make them unable to properly care for their pets.
The bad economic situation of the world is also a probable cause of the decrease in the number of people adopting dogs. When you are worried about your own survival, it’s irresponsible to take in someone you need to care for.
This also means that stories such as Frito’s are more common than people may realize.
A Happy Ending
Fortunately, not all stories have a sad ending.
On 6th December 2023, Metro East Humane Society let everyone in on some great news:
“Can we get a “H*CK YEAH!!!!!” in the group chat for these #MEHSHappyTails?! FRITO. WENT. HOME. after being the only dog remaining at our Highland Shelter post-Black Friday adoption event,” they stated on a Facebook post.
Wherever Frito is now, I am certain he has some real friends to keep him company and lots of toys to play with every single day.
Vanja’s passion for writing started at an early age, which is why she pursued Journalism as her college degree. She can research any topic and find all the information before you bat an eye, which is a great thing for her job but a terrible one for her husband.
Even as a young child, she fell in love with everything fluffy – but dogs have a special place in her heart due to her childhood companion, a Corgie named Archie.
Motivated by her experiences and driven by a desire to give back to her four-legged companions, she spends her free time volunteering at a local dog shelter.