They assert that good things come to those who wait, and Al Capone is the best person to understand this.
The 7-year-old Staffordshire terrier mix has been waiting patiently for a forever home at the Ionia Region Animal Sanctuary in Michigan, but nothing has seemed to stick.
Instead, the senior dog watched as one by one, each of his sanctuary buddies left with their new parents. Eventually, he was the last person left.
Carly Quinn, director of the Ionia Region Pet Shelter, told The Dodo that Capone was the only dog that the refuge had for a while. All the kennels were empty, but for the soft, collected, compassionate Capone.
After being given the refuge in 2017, Capone was adopted right away, but he subsequently came back after a fight with another dog who had been visiting his home.
After experiencing homelessness for a second time, Capone became dejected and stopped eating.
He lost quite a bit of weight because he was simply not as hungry as he was at home, Quinn noted. “Getting him to eat wasn’t easy. Every day, we had to lure him with snacks and other wet dishes.
Quinn interpreted Capone’s hunger strike as a sign of much more terrible circumstances.
Quinn added that because of his sadness, eating properly was put on the back burner. “He was sad,” she said.
Capone, though, felt more than just heartbreak; he also feared being turned down once more.
The Capones we encountered in 2017 and 2018 were two entirely different dogs, according to Quinn. “After being aba.ndoned a second time, he appeared to select his friends, as if he had actually felt betrayed. ” He became very attached to the staff at the refuge.
He’s a velcro dog, Quinn proclaimed. “A dog that wants to touch you and stay close to you all the time.”
Finding the older dog the right environment became challenging because the shelter staff now believed Capone would thrive in a home without any other dogs. Employees at the shelter routinely posted his picture on social media, making sure that everyone in the area was aware that the dog was available and anxious to meet his eventual family.
That’s exactly what took place.
When Quinn saw a message from a couple asking about Capone on the sanctuary’s Facebook page, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. They had become enamored with his images and story, Quinn said. When they arrived to our shelter later that day, “they had already previously gone to the pet store and created him a custom name tag with his name and their information.”
On the other hand, after being surrendered twice, Capone had actually learned to be cautious about who he let into his heart.
Quinn held her breath as she walked up to his cage since she knew he wouldn’t travel with just anyone. Quinn said, “My staff and I am crossing our fingers that Capone will definitely want them. “As Capone and I moved into the lobby, he gave up and turned to look at Jon and Ashlee for a moment. Capone entered their arms as they both knelt down.