Illinois Shelter's Longest Resident Has Been Waiting Almost a Year for His Happily Ever After

Spending week after week living in a kennel with just a few minutes of exercise and play each day has got to get old. In fact, it's a wonder how more shelter dogs don't go stir crazy in such a small space, but it' all due to the hard work and heartfelt care of animal shelter staff and volunteers. Thanks to them, dogs like Hank who have been in the shelter for almost a year are somehow still in high spirits.

Hank is merely days away from watching his first shelter-versary pass by, but his friends from Livingston County Humane Society are determined to find him a home before then. They even shared a sweet video on March 26 encouraging potential adopters to come and meet him. And why wouldn't they? He seems like such a happy dog!

OMG--how cute is he? Hank's gorgeous tricolored fur looks beautiful wherever he goes, but I don't think there's a dog lover out there who could resist him while he's carrying around that gigantic dog bone. He looks so proud of his treasure, but he's more than willing to set it down if that means getting more attention from his visitors.

Related: Longest Residents at Charlotte Humane Society Have People Choked Up

According to Hank's online profile, he's two years old, 35 pounds, and is estimated to be a terrier mix. He first arrived at the Illinois animal shelter on April 14, 2023, and has an affinity for dog toys, dressing up, and hanging out with the shelter volunteers. If you don't believe me, you need to see this sweet video that the shelter made about him in January.

He's going to make someone a very happy dog owner! He seems like such a happy, easygoing guy, and he even does well walking on a leash. What else could you ask for in a rescue dog?

Helping Shelter Dogs Adjust at Home

When you bring home a shelter dog, things won't seem 'normal' right away. Everyone will be adjusting to the new dynamic in your home, after all, so you'll need to extend grace to yourself and your new dog for the first few months.

As a rule of thumb, animal experts recommend new pet parents follow the 3-3-3 rule. This rule explains how long it can take for rescue pets to reach certain milestones in their new home,  but the actual timeline can vary from one animal to another. Long story short--a bumpy beginning with a rescue pet is completely normal, and you'll both be feeling relaxed soon enough. If more potential adopters knew about this rule, I wonder if more dogs like Hank would be adopted!

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