No one anticipated Sadie to return to the shelter when she left in 2024. She did, however, return last month when her family relinquished her. Soon later, Sadie was adopted again — and then returned. Unfortunately, this was not the end of the story; she was adopted and returned a week later (HV).

Sadie and her littermates were just a few months old when they arrived at the Harris County Animal Shelter in Texas. Sadie had been photographed by the staff, and the small dog was promptly adopted by a family. But this wasn’t the forever family Sadie was looking for.

Ashley Roberts, a Harris County Animal Shelter worker, was there when Sadie’s family surrendered her last month.

“[Sadie] was curled up in a ball,” Roberts told The Dodo. “Honestly, I believed she was a stray who had been found and was afraid because of it.” She didn’t even seem to be at ease with the individuals she was with.”

“They mentioned something similar to [Hurricane] Harvey and said, ‘We thought we were going to keep her,’” Roberts continued. “But they didn’t seem sorry that they were sending her back to the shelter.”

Sadie’s puppy photo appeared when a staff member scanned her microchip and looked up her details on their systems.

“[The staff member] nearly burst into tears,” Roberts added. “When he saw her initial photo and her coming back now… being surrendered back to a death shelter, he couldn’t even function.” It was a sharp contrast between her confident puppy photo and the dog we saw in front of us. He was nearly in tears. “I was already in tears.”

The next week, another family approached the shelter and begged to adopt Sadie. Everyone was overjoyed at first, thinking Sadie’s bad luck had come to an end. However, Sadie’s new family also returned her a week later.

“I wasn’t there the second time she was surrendered,” Roberts claimed, “but [the new family] stated she kept having accidents in the home.” “What we believe happened was that she was so frightened that she urinated nervously.”

Following this, the crew shared Sadie’s photographs on Facebook in the hopes that she would swiftly find a better — and more permanent — home. Soon after, a young woman contacted the shelter and offered to foster Sadie with the intention of adopting her.

“We strive to do adoption and foster counseling so that these animals and individuals have a higher chance of success with the adoption,” Roberts explained. “And we clearly stated, ‘[Sadie] doesn’t need to be around any other dogs for at least a week — just give her some room and time to settle down – she’s gone through so much.’”

According to Roberts, the young woman did not listen for whatever reason.

“She appeared to be well-intentioned, and we assumed it would work out,” Roberts said. “So she took her home and said, ‘Oh, she’s doing so well.’” ‘Bring your dog over,’ she instructed her sister. So her sister comes over her dog, who bites Sadie.”

Sadie’s neck was covered in bite marks when she was sent to the Harris County Animal Shelter for the fourth time.

“It’s just been poor luck,” Roberts remarked. “I’ve never seen another dog returned this many times.”

To assist Sadie in getting back on track, the shelter staff arranged for her to be placed in a foster home with Down South Rescue.

“Sadie is with an experienced foster and she is working with her,” Down South Rescue director Sharon Fanning told The Dodo. “She is still terrified and distrustful of others.” She has, nonetheless, developed a strong attachment to her foster mother. Mental and physical healing will take time for her. And we will be extremely selective in who we let to adopt her.”

Sadie will not be available for adoption right now, but when she is, Roberts hopes she gets the greatest family possible.

“She was so nice in the shelter – I don’t think she’s got a cruel bone in her body,” said Roberts. “All we want is a home where she is adored and given the time and attention she requires.”