Joey is so unique that he quickly charms everyone he encounters.
The pit bull mix, who is five years old, should not have had to spend more than 500 days at a shelter, but things somehow ended up that way.
The staff members quickly fell in love with the cute dog, so when Joey’s forever family showed up to take him away to the life of his dreams, they knew they had to bid him farewell in the most unforgettable way.
It was the send-off of a lifetime.
“The staff always wanted to make sure the shelter dogs knew how loved they were, so a special send-off was started by us so the dogs knew how much they meant to us and to make them feel happy about going to their new home,” Sweet Buffalo to the Rescue founder, Kimberly LaRussa, fondly shared.
They want one of their longtime residents to have only the best farewell party.
And of course, Joey is no exception.
“We wanted to give Joey a relaxing and calm send-off, so we thought we could put some leis on him as a sign of friendship and give him treats,” she continued. “It was really beautiful to see him with all the leis he accumulated towards the end of the send-off.”
Joey, a former stray, was never expected to remain in the shelter more than a year later. But nobody wanted to adopt him, so he was passed around, and Joey started showing signs of losing his patience.
He longed for a family.
“[He] adjusted the best he could,” LaRussa recalled. “He was very much loved by the former staff and volunteers. But as time went on, we could tell he longed for something more than we could give him: a nice warm bed, cuddles at night, his own people to love him.”
Every day that he hasn’t been adopted is a heartbreaking day for everyone. Even though Joey is adored by everyone at the shelter, they all agree that he deserves much more.
They would love to let him go in exchange for his happiness.
So LaRussa stepped in.
When LaRussa saw the sad puppy sobbing in his kennel and looking helpless, she recorded a quick video of Joey and decided to speak up on her behalf. She then posted the video on social media.
The attention suddenly surged. But among the rest, Daryl Koczaja and Melissa Leuer stood out.
They were the perfect match.
“I remember watching his videos over and over while crying and thinking to myself, ‘Someone needs to help this poor baby,'” Leuer recounted. “Little did I know it would be us.”
When LaRussa set up a meet and greet, Joey and the potential adopters hit it off right away.
“The moment we all met, we were in love—he was such a sweetheart!” Leuer shared. “He ran straight to Daryl and gave him tons of kisses. We just felt like he was meant to be with us, like he was waiting there the whole time till we were ready for him.”
Although it took Joey a few days to get used to his new life, he somehow became the best cuddler.
When he sees his parents, he always beams in joy. Simply put, everything worked out for the best!
Check out the video below to witness the beautiful send-off.
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