Living within the confines of the four walls of a shelter kennel can be a lonely and bewildering experience.

While most shelters do everything in their power to create an environment where all dogs would feel at home, the reality is that no kennel can replace a loving home and devoted companionship.

Behind the kennel bars, all these furry creatures think of – is their forever home.

Some dogs end up finding their forever home quite quickly, but others, like Dixie Rae, become one of the long-stay pets overlooked at a shelter.

In such circumstances, every bark becomes a silent cry for affection, and every tail-wag a hopeful plea.

Family That Saved Dixie’s Life

Dixie Rae (formerly known as Blanca) was found wandering the streets of Dallas, Texas, as a stray.

She arrived at Dallas Animal Services Shelter where she waited patiently for someone to adopt her. 

However, because Dixie was pretty quiet and shy, she was constantly overlooked. Days turned into months, and Dixie sadly became one of the shelter’s longest residents. 

She was getting to that point where she was going to be on the risk list. Dixie really needed a win, and thankfully, one day, it finally came. 

Sarah and her husband are longtime foster friends of Dallas Pets Alive – a foster-based rescue organization dedicated to saving the lives of healthy and tre

atable pets.

When the couple visited the shelter with the Dallas Pets Alive rescue team, they met Dixie.

“The volunteer that we were with said, you know, Dixie really needs a win. We said, you know what? Let’s give her a win,” Sarah, Dixie’s foster mom, told GeoBeats Animals.

The family decided to foster Dixie, and from that point onward, her life changed forever.

Her Personality Blossomed

At some point in her life, Dixie clearly had a litter of puppies, and presumably, she also had a home or at least a person who took care of her, but no one knows how long she spent on the streets.

At the shelter, Dixie shut down, and she really needed someone to give her time and space to decompress. 

The first couple of days at her foster home was all about decompression. Luckily, this family had already fostered other dogs, so they knew what they were doing.

After a couple of days, her personality blossomed. She turned into the happiest little dog who loves making new friends, playing with her foster siblings, and belly rubs.

“If she were a human, she’d be super outgoing and super extroverted. She is the snuggliest, cuddliest Pittie you’ll ever meet, a 65 pound lap dog,” Sarah said.

Sadly, Dixie’s foster parents can’t adopt her. 

“If I adopt Dixie, I can’t keep fostering and the need for fosters and adopters in Texas and really all across the country is great, so I wanna be able to open our home to foster dogs,” she added.

Her foster family has saved her life and given her a chance when no one else wanted to, and Dixie Rae has grown so much since.

She is ready for her forever home and a lifetime of happiness. 

She is available for adoption through Dallas Pets Alive, so if you’re interested in adopting this precious ball of happiness, please visit their website or email them.