When Stevie was about a year old, he showed up as a stray at Dogtown SA. Right away, it was obvious he was a friendly, social fellow - both with people and other pups. Everyone at the shelter was absolutely positive that his perfect family was out there somewhere and it would only be a matter of time before he was adopted. Sadly, that never happened and over the course of six years, Stevie was overlooked time and time again. No one was ever able to explain why.
Elanza Kloppers, the adoptions manager at Dogtown SA, confessed to The Dodo that “[It] was always a mystery to us why Stevie met lots of potential families, yet another dog was always chosen. Many of his roommates got adopted over the years, and we continued to hold out hope that something would come along for him. Sadly, being a black dog didn't help either, as that breed is commonly overlooked in shelters.” Nonetheless, neither Stevie nor his rescuers ever gave up the belief that his perfect family was out there somewhere – and it turned out that they were right.
When the adopter finally told Kloppers that Stevie was chosen, Kloppers eagerly gave the news to the team. Everyone was overjoyed that their dreams had finally come true for the pup. Kloppers also informed the volunteers right away, and they were beyond stunned. Every person was so thrilled for Stevie. It was a beautiful sight. After someone selected Stevie to be their own, the staff began to get him ready for his forever home. As he had been living in the shelter for such a long time, the staff had grown to love him like their own. To commemorate his time there and to celebrate his new journey, they decided to do something special. On his last day, as he was leaving, the staff formed a line to give Stevie one last farewell.
"Stevie's adoption was truly extraordinary," Kloppers remarked. "We have had some particularly special adoptions throughout the years, and for those dogs, we gave them a memorable sendoff. Everyone in the team wanted to say goodbye to him and give him their best wishes. As he moved down the line of his cheering friends, Stevie could feel the specialness of the moment and was overjoyed. It was truly the best day ever for him."
Kloppers commented that Stevie was wagging his tail as he said his fond farewells to everyone. He had grown to be quite fond of the team and it was clear to see the joy in his eyes. It was an emotional day for all of us. Stevie joyfully hopped into the vehicle with his wiggly bum, wearing his favourite jacket and surrounded by the people he loved the most. It was like he knew his long-awaited day had finally arrived.
Stevie has now settled into his permanent home and is thriving. His new dad affectionately calls him Stevie Wonderful and it's obvious that Stevie already loves him just as much. They are taking every opportunity to explore the world together and look forward to more amazing experiences. After some time, Stevie has finally found his happily ever after and the staff at Dogtown SA are overjoyed for him.