Dumplin'

In Their Forever Home

Their Journey So Far

1. Rescued

   July 28, 2026

   Dumplin' (formerly Jojo) was one of the shelter's longest residents — a favorite of everyone who met him. Today, The Comeback Pack walked him out the front doors.

2. Settling In

   July 29, 2026

   Tonight, after we got home from dinner with friends, Dumplin' came running to greet us with a wagging tail — snuggling in right alongside Willowdean like he'd always been part of the family. Moments like this don't happen by accident: they're the result of shelter staff, animal control officers, and volunteers who refused to give up on a dog the world had overlooked.

   

3. A Gentle Boy

   Whoever adopts Dumplin' is getting away with something. He's about 1½ years old, weighs around 60 pounds, and is one of the sweetest, funniest, most lovable dogs around — the kind that quickly becomes your shadow, your adventure buddy, and your best friend. He came to the shelter as a stray with his sibling, who tragically didn't make it; Dumplin' was rescued just in time. Now living in a foster home, he's learning all about life indoors — a little shy meeting someone new, but it only takes a few minutes before he's leaning in for pets. We think he was overlooked for being just another black dog in a crowded shelter. That's about to change.

4. Fixed Up & Ready

   July 30, 2026

   Dumplin' said goodbye to a few "unnecessary accessories" today — he was neutered, and his loose rear dewclaws were removed at the same time to help prevent future injuries. He's all fixed up and feeling great. This handsome boy is now officially ready for adoption!

5. A Stay at the Pet Hotel

   August 5, 2026

   While the team was away, Dumplin' and his buddy Rickey Henderson spent a few days at Pawtriotic Pet Hotel — and the updates from the staff were the sweetest. This gentle boy loves to play and wrestle, but don't let the antics fool you: he's affectionate and gets along with just about everyone he meets.

   • Meet Pawtriotic Pet Hotel

6. Look at Those Eyes

   The first clips are Dumplin' in the shelter — scared, uncertain, and running out of time. Now look at him: that happy, goofy puppy was in there all along, he just needed a safe place to come back to life. Today he's smart, trainable, and crate-trained — and we trust him so much with other dogs that he's become the one we use to temperament-test new arrivals.

7. Today

   Dumplin' is neutered, healthy, and officially ready for adoption. He's still got a little puppy-ish goofiness, but he's eager to please and just needs the right family to bring him home.

   

8. Still Waiting to Be Chosen

   August 19, 2026

   We genuinely don't understand how Dumplin' became the longest-waiting resident at the shelter — and now that he's safe with us, we understand it even less. He hasn't had a single inquiry yet. He's sweet, smart, house trained, great with other dogs and kids, and even lives with cats — exactly the dog most people say they're looking for. Maybe he's just easy to scroll past as a big black dog in a sea of photos. But spend five minutes with him and it clicks: he deserves more than being safe in foster care. He deserves to belong somewhere. If you can't adopt him yourself, sharing his story helps — his person might simply not have seen him yet.

9. An Offer for the Overthinkers

   August 24, 2026

   Two amazing boys, zero applications. Dumplin' had waited longer than anyone and still hadn't had a single adoption inquiry, and neither had his buddy Rickey — so we tried something we don't normally offer: foster either of them for up to two weeks, or take either one home on a two-week trial adoption. Both options are free, both are short term, and both leave the door open to adopt if you realize you can't live without him. We'll even loan you a crate and other supplies to make it easy.

   • Read the full announcement

   

10. Playdate with Stormy Skye

    August 27, 2026

    Stormy Skye came over for a playdate, and Dumplin' showed exactly who he is. He's still a young dog himself, every bit as silly and playful as she is — but watch how careful he is with her: he lets her climb all over him, wrestle, and pounce, and never once gets too rough. He knows she's a baby. Sweet, silly, gentle, and genuinely fun to be around — and still waiting for someone to choose him.

11. Adopted!

    August 28, 2026

    Dumplin' found his forevers, and this one feels really, really special. His new family is a dog-loving couple who lost both of their longtime dogs within a short period of time — they gave themselves a year to grieve before opening their hearts again. Then they saw Dumplin's photos and videos and fell in love. Today they met him in person, and fell even harder. This once-terrified, timid boy relaxed with them surprisingly quickly: he smiled, he leaned in, he looked comfortable. He didn't need someone to save him forever on day one — he needed someone to give him enough time to find his forever. And look what happened. Happy adoption day, Dumplin'. You waited a long time for this one, buddy — we think it was worth the wait.