Every shelter dog deserves to find their forever family, but one unlucky pup from Miami-Dade Animal Services didn’t even get the chance to settle in after an adoption went wrong within hours. Due to no fault of her own, the poor dog was adopted and returned in just one day after a surprise went horribly wrong.
Before then, the resilient rescue dog had been waiting for a year to finally break out of the shelter. Recently, she even met an Internet-famous dog dad, who took her out of her kennel for some much-needed playtime and attention! It was just before he posted the video of their playtime that her failed adoption occurred, but with any luck, her real home is just around the corner.
Ivy is such a sweetheart! She seems shy and cautious at first, but once she warns up to someone, she’s immediately ready to play. She knows basic obedience commands and has the prettiest smile—how was no one interested in her for a whole year?
This shelter dog’s day out had viewers like @tbartlett_ asking questions. They wrote, “Is this a thing? Can we just ask to take dogs at shelters on walks?”
You sure can! Most animal shelters will ask you to sign some paperwork and maybe complete a short training to make your volunteer status official, but you don’t need to commit to fostering in order to spend time with a rescue dog. Whether you play in the yard, take them on a date for a pup cup, or bring them home for a sleepover, there are far more options than one might think.
Why Was This Dog Adopted And Returned?
Ivy seems like such a polite and happy dog, so why did her adoption fall through? No one is surprised to hear that it wasn’t her fault at all.
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“After making this video, I got word that Ivy was adopted the day after this and then returned the next day because their partner wasn’t happy with getting surprised with a dog.” @cactustherescue shared. “Someone should really consider adopting this sweet girl.”
This dog dad has his hands full with two dogs at home: a rescue dog named Cactus and a naughty puppy named Cowboy who recently learned to escape from a puppy playpen. As much as he’d love to give Ivy a home, he’s calling on all of his viewers and followers to help get this diamond in the ‘ruff’ the prepared forever home she deserves.
This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Oct 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.