Dog returns to shelter after living in 7 homes. Then new family ‘couldn’t resist her’

An affectionate dog returned to a shelter after living in seven different homes — then a new family fell for her.

“They couldn’t resist her sweet face and playful spirit, and now she’s off to start a new chapter filled with love and belly rubs,” a Florida animal shelter wrote on Facebook. “We couldn’t be happier!”

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Brevard said Reba the dog got another new home after a journey that started in 2016. She was transferred from another shelter, and at one point “had been returned 3 times in 4 months, with no notes indicating why.”

Over time, the SPCA believes Reba landed in seven homes. Her stays with other families ended due to reasons ranging from an owner’s illness to her being “too energetic.”

“This girl can’t catch a break,” shelter manager Tom Baumann wrote Aug. 21 on social media.

In the post, Baumann shared a heart-wrenching plea for someone to adopt the dog again. She struggled in the shelter as she waited for the “perfect family.”

“She was OK at first, but in only 12 days she has been eating less, having abnormal accidents, and biting and licking herself until she’s raw,” Baumann wrote. “It’s hard to watch. Despite all of this, her attitude has remained sweet and hopeful.”

Reba is described as an 8-year-old pup who’s always ready for snuggles. She also has an active side and will show her “sad puppydog eyes” when she wants to play.

“She had an undeniable love for playtime, always carrying a tennis ball in her mouth or keeping it nearby, just waiting for someone to join her in a game of fetch,” Shelby Montgomery, public relations and community engagement coordinator, told McClatchy News via email. “Reba’s playful spirit was matched only by her affectionate nature.”

Then, after Reba “bounced around so much,” the shelter shared the good news that she got a new home. Her new owners had seen Baumann’s post and adopted her hours later.

“Everyone around the shelter was cheering and excited to see Reba find her people,” Montgomery said.

The SPCA is in Titusville, a roughly 40-mile drive east from Orlando.

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