When Spinach first arrived at Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) as a tiny puppy, his future looked uncertain. He had a ruptured eye and was at risk of being put down — until the shelter stepped in. After surgery to remove the damaged eye, Spinach felt like a brand-new pup, full of energy and hope. Everyone assumed it would be just a matter of weeks before he found a loving family.
But weeks turned into months. And months turned into more than a year.
For 432 long days, Spinach waited. He still lit up when he played with other dogs, bounding around the play yard with pure joy — but back in his kennel, the sadness was hard to hide. His appetite began to fade, and the weight started slipping off. Volunteers, desperate to lift his spirits, tried everything from rotating meals to offering multiple bowls at once, just to tempt him to eat.
“He loved to play with other dogs,” APA! volunteer Frankie Helfey told The Dodo. “But then you would see him in his kennel, and it was heartbreaking. We knew we had to get him out of the shelter as soon as possible.”
So they turned to social media, sharing Spinach’s story with the world. And that’s when everything changed.
A family in Oklahoma saw his photos, read about his gentle heart, and knew they had to meet him. Soon, Spinach was on the road to his forever home.
“There were a lot of happy tears — and a little anxiousness — as he was driven to Oklahoma,” Helfey said. “Some dogs just need to be given a chance.”
Now, Spinach is settling into a home where he’s showered with love and attention every day. After 432 days of waiting, he’s finally where he belongs.
“I’m going to miss his face,” Helfey admitted. “When you spend so much time building bonds at the shelter, it’s hard to say goodbye — but the best part is knowing you’ll never see them back in a kennel again.”
