Foster dog’s story has the wiggliest ending
Eugene’s wide smile sealed the deal as his new family welcomed him into their hearts and home.
By
Kim McDaniel
The moment his foster person walked back into the Best Friends Pet Resource Center in Northwest Arkansas, the young dog knew.
Before she could even say his name, Eugene's whole body lit up. His tail wagged. His smile spread. He wiggled with so much joy it consumed his entire body. In those few moments (captured on video) it was clear the match was meant to be.
A foster stay that changed everything
Eugene came to Best Friends from a nearby shelter and soon went home with Nikki and Jason as their foster pup. Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters nationwide to reach no-kill, and people who step up to foster pets, either with Best Friends or any animal shelter or rescue organization, play a vital part in reaching that goal.
Almost immediately, Eugene made himself part of the household.
“He would follow us all around the house,” Nikki and Jason shared. “He just wanted to be near us all the time.”
Friendly with people and other dogs alike, the sweet boy quickly earned a reputation as being “100% cuddle trained.”
The smile that sealed the deal
When it came time to bring Eugene back to the pet resource center to meet potential adopters, Nikki and Jason found themselves struggling to say goodbye. They had fallen hard, and it was clear the feeling was mutual.
As they left, they made him a promise: If he didn’t get adopted that day, they would come back for him.
[From shy to safe: Dog with megawatt smile goes home]
Well, Eugene was adopted that day — by Nikki and Jason. They came back later in the evening, resulting in the wiggly, jiggly, smiley moment captured on video.
“That smile solidified everything for us,” Jason later told the Best Friends team. “Eugene has found a home with us.”
Happy at home
Now officially adopted, Eugene is thriving. He’s settled in beautifully and has become inseparable from his new canine brother, Ruger. Wherever one goes, the other isn’t far behind.
Sometimes, all it takes is one smile to change a life forever.
Let's make every shelter and every community no-kill
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.
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