Do you believe in fate? Do you think our loved ones who have passed on are watching over us? If not, this story may just change your mind. After seven long years of waiting, the Animal Resource Center (ARC) finally received the message they had been hoping for. Last week, their shelter manager opened an email with the subject line: “Interested in adopting Ella.” The excitement was palpable. Ella, a Pit Bull mix who had been with ARC since 2019, was the shelter’s longest resident.
An appointment was arranged, and Kaitlyn, the woman behind the email, arrived to meet Ella. Kaitlyn shared her story, explaining that her beloved dog, Jo, had passed away a few months earlier. Finally ready to open her heart again, she was searching for a new companion. What happened next was nothing short of extraordinary. Ella, a dog known for her ‘fear aggression’ and typically needing multiple visits to warm up to new people, broke all her usual patterns.
“When Ella first saw Kaitlyn, we think she already knew that this is MY person,” ARC shared on Facebook. Without hesitation, Ella approached Kaitlyn, allowing her to pet and scratch her right away—a rare and heartwarming moment for the staff to witness.
As the meeting progressed, something even more touching unfolded. Toward the end, the staff noticed Kaitlyn becoming emotional. She kept glancing at Ella’s neck, where a bandana was tied. Kaitlyn then pulled out her phone and showed the team a picture of her late dog, Jo, wearing the exact same bandana.
“This bandana that Ella is wearing, it’s Jo’s. I donated [all of them] here when he passed,” Kaitlyn said, tears filling her eyes. The staff, now equally emotional, realized the profound coincidence. Of all the dogs in the shelter, Ella was the one wearing Jo’s bandana.
A children's doctor had been evicted and had left items behind when she left. Among them was something alarming: a plastic storage bin, where a dog had been locked inside. If someone is this cruel to a small, defenseless dog, how can they continue to treat children as a doctor?
Kaitlyn summed up the moment perfectly: “I like to think of it as Jo’s stamp of approval.” It was clear to everyone that this match was meant to be. Ella’s departure from the shelter brought a bittersweet feeling. Every morning, she eagerly greeted staff at her kennel door, her energy and personality lighting up their days. While they would miss her, their hearts were overflowing with joy, knowing she had finally found her forever home.
“ELLA GOT ADOPTED!” ARC celebrated. After years of waiting, Ella now has the love and happiness she always deserved.
Toledo, United States.
