When Joshua Kennon began working at Haven Animal Care Shelter in 2020, he didn’t expect one dog to steal his heart so quickly.
But that’s exactly what happened the moment he met Terri — a sweet, senior pit bull who radiated love despite spending most of her life behind shelter walls.
“On my first day, I walked in with Terri,” Kennon recalled. “She was jumping on me, giving me kisses — just being the absolute sweetest. I was hooked immediately.”
Kennon soon learned that Terri had a heartbreaking past. She was found pregnant and alone in a cemetery in 2015 and taken in by the shelter.
That had been five years before Kennon even met her — and still, no one had adopted her.
Despite Terri’s gentle nature, she was continuously overlooked. Kennon believes her age, her black coat, and the fact that she needed to be the only dog made people pass her by in favor of younger pups.
“She just kept watching other dogs leave,” Kennon said. “It broke my heart.”
As the years wore on, Terri’s once-dark fur began to gray. But even after seven years in the shelter, she never lost her joy — or her hope.
In 2022, after two years of working at the shelter, Kennon got life-changing news: he’d been accepted to Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine. While thrilled, he couldn’t shake one thought — how could he leave Terri behind?
That’s when he made a life-changing decision for both of them.
Kennon adopted Terri, giving the 11-year-old dog her first real home in nearly a decade.
Out of the shelter, Terri blossomed. Her affectionate spirit only grew stronger, and she quickly settled into her new life of long walks, cozy naps, and constant companionship.
“She loves people,” Kennon said. “She’ll go right up to someone and just demand pets. That’s all she ever really wanted — someone to stay close to.”
Now Terri spends her days by Kennon’s side while he studies, making up for all the time they lost.
“She’s the perfect vet school dog,” he said.
Kennon hopes that Terri’s journey will inspire others to look beyond age or breed when choosing a companion.
“Give seniors a chance,” he said. “They have so much love left to give.”
