Dogs have the ability to instantly win hearts due to their lovable personalities. Anyone can get attached to them even if you haven’t had pets before. One look at those innocent eyes can make your heart skip a beat. Dogs also can determine if a human is going to be their best bud. For this reason, fostering can be quite difficult due to attachment. Dogs will make you feel special, and so loved that you’d always want them by your side. They are great at expressing their desire to stay with you. It’s tempting to keep them, although you’re aware of a foster parent’s role.

Photo: Youtube/We Love Animals

Mary had that effect on her current pet parent. Before they met, she had experienced mishaps in life. When Mary was born, she and her family were rescued by Terri. She fostered them after a shelter informed her of the family’s situation. Terri bottle-fed all six puppies and nurtured them well before bringing them to adoption events. At eight weeks old, the puppies were available to families looking for a new member. After several applications were assessed, Mary was eventually adopted. It was supposed to be a happy ending for the rescue pup, but Terri was devastated after receiving updates about her.

Photo: Youtube/We Love Anima

“A year and a half after adoption, I got a call from a different shelter saying, ‘We have one of your dogs here.’ My heart sank,” Terri shared. She was informed that the dog was Mary, and she immediately came to see her. What she saw was completely heartbreaking — Mary looked sad and traumatized. “She came out completely head down. She had scars on her nose, flystrike on her ears. They had wrapped her tail because she had chewed it to the bone. She just looked defeated,” the dog rescuer explained. Terri had difficulty processing Mary’s condition, especially when they worked hard to find her a suitable home. Families undergo assessments, including meet and greets and home checks. It was deeply painful that Mary’s previous owners ended up neglecting her.

Terri took Mary again and ensured that she was in good condition. The dog instantly recognized her and felt joy in her presence. It’s as if Mary already received assurance that everything will be fine with Terri’s help. Due to her condition, Mary had to stay in a hospital for a week. After receiving medications, she was taken under the care of a foster family. Little did she know, the man of the family would love her unconditionally. Doug and Michelle became her temporary human parents. At first, Doug did not want to build an attachment with Mary since she was only a foster. They already had two dogs at home. Interestingly, both of them were fostered and then adopted by the family.

Photo: Youtube/We Love Animals

Although they were set on just fostering Mary, she naturally built a relationship with them. She felt at home, and being with her foster family seemed to heal her from her trauma. Building connections with traumatized animals usually takes time, but Mary immediately trusted Doug and Michelle. That’s why no matter how Doug refrained from bonding with the rescue dog, he eventually fell in love with her. Like their first two fosters, Doug decided to adopt Mary. However, Michelle had different plans and rejected his idea. Instead of approving Doug’s suggestion, she planned a surprise for Christmas. Mary would be the greatest Christmas gift he’ll ever receive.

Photo: Youtube/We Love Animals

Michelle asked Terri first and informed her about the surprise. Terri quickly agreed and was ecstatic with the news that Mary would be adopted by a caring family. And on Christmas day, Doug cried tears of joy after he opened a present that contained Mary’s tag. Happiness was evident after he read the dog’s name along with their home address. He also found adoption papers that proved that they are officially Mary’s pet parents. Doug hugged Mary while crying then the whole family celebrated with them. Mary had finally found her forever home — one where she was not neglected. It’s like she knew from the start that she’s not going anywhere anymore. All’s well that ends well — Mary will never face any trauma again. Watch her heartfelt story below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJlwoktOT9c&t=237s