The cuddly photo that got a shy dog adopted

Eli was only 2 years old when he arrived at the SPCA of Brevard, a Best Friends Network Partner on the east coast of Florida — and those two years hadn’t been good.

The SPCA of Brevard typically adopts out about 1,600 pets per year. This includes some coming from bad situations, who need time and kindness to heal their bodies and minds and put the past behind them.

Eli was one of those pets who got such a lifeline. He had been taken by federal law enforcement along with over 150 other dogs in a dogfighting case. He was physically well but so shut down and scared that he would not even get out of his crate when he got to the shelter.

“Our staff had to carry his crate into his kennel and place it inside, allowing him to come out on his own,” says Shelby Hicks, the SPCA of Brevard’s public relations and community engagement coordinator. It was just the beginning of a brighter future.

Over the next several months, staff and volunteers worked to build trust with Eli and to help him feel more secure, confident, and safe in his new life. He stayed in Shelby’s office, so he’d have a quieter environment than the kennels. He began to enjoy outdoor time in the play yard.

But even as Eli started to come out of his shell at the shelter, he remained deeply reserved around new people, including potential adopters.

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“When he would get meet and greets, he was too shy for adopters to see if he’d be a good fit for their home,” Shelby says.

So for several months, Eli continued life in his home-between-homes at the shelter. This changed when Makenna Carew walked through the SPCA of Brevard’s doors, looking for a pet to foster.

Makenna, an animal lover who has two dogs and a bossy cat of her own, had only fostered cats before then. But when she learned about Eli’s story and his struggles, she decided that he was the one she wanted to bring home. People who step up to foster pets play a vital part in helping shelters across the country reach and maintain no-kill.

“I had to give him a chance,” Makenna says. After a meet and greet with Makenna’s dogs that went off without a hitch, Eli had himself a foster home.

Eli was a little timid with Makenna’s cat Loki at first. But before long, Makenna says, Eli was up on the couch with the whole family. And then he became Loki’s snuggle partner and “big spoon.”

Makenna was delighted to see Eli fitting in so well, so quickly. This was not only good for its own sake, but it also provided important information that could be shared with potential adopters and help make a good match.

Plus, it was super cute.

With that in mind, Makenna posted a picture of Eli and Loki on the SPCA of Brevard’s Facebook page. Nearly instantaneously, the post drew over 1,000 likes, hundreds of comments, and a message from someone interested in adopting.

Michael Criss, his roommate, and his roommate’s dog met Makenna and Eli at a local dog park. They took a walk together with both dogs. Then they went to Michael’s house. Eli was afraid to walk through the front door, but once he got into the backyard, all he wanted to do was run and play.

That sealed the deal, and Michael officially adopted Eli. It had only been a few days since Eli went to Makenna’s home as a foster pet, and now he was getting a family of his own.

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“I cried my eyes out because I was so happy,” Makenna says.

Shelby says she and her colleagues also shed “a lot of happy tears” over Eli’s adoption. They hope he inspires more shelters to create or expand their foster programs — and more community members to become foster volunteers.

“While short-term fostering can seem emotionally difficult, stories like this show just how much good can come from it,” Shelby says. “When animals stay with us for a long time, we really get to know them and see just how special they are. Seeing someone else recognize that in pets like Eli reminds us exactly why we do what we do.”

It’s been a few months since Eli was adopted. He has become a big fan of car rides and treats, though he’s still on the fence about baths.

Eli and the other resident dog love to play together. He mostly ignores the two resident cats, which the cats seem pleased by even if it denies the world some adorable photographs.

Michael works from home, and Eli likes to spend his days napping on a big dog bed next to the desk. At night, Eli sleeps in the human bed — with his head on the pillow.

Michael loves to see Eli opening up, relaxing, and figuring out that this once-scary world is now his to enjoy.

“He needs a lot of love,” Michael says. “He’s got a lot of love.”

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.