Dogs love to run and play, some more than others. This makes matching up an active dog with the right owner important. In addition to loving to run and play, Rusty, a German shepherd/Catahoula mix, like all dogs, also wants to be loved.

Unfortunately, while his dream of going to a loving home almost came true, it seems he will have to wait just a little bit longer.

Rusty is a long-time resident at the shelter

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One of the sweetest dogs you will meet, Rusty likes lots of attention from those around him. And while he would be perfect for many homes, he has had trouble finding a home. He has been living in a Waco, Texas shelter for a long time, over 400 days in fact.

Fortunately, the shelter staff love him and refuse to give up when it comes to finding Rusty a home.

Rusty’s story

Rusty came to the shelter as a puppy. His first owner said he was too hyper and couldn’t care for him. Now, at 2 years old, Rusty is still waiting for his forever home. And honestly, you can’t blame a dog owner for returning a dog that they have no chance at caring for.

At least now, Rusty had a chance at finding a home with owners who could better keep up with him.

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During his time in a shelter, Rusty has been to a lot of places. He was fostered for two months before being sent to ma rescue in Idaho. The hope was to give him a better chance at getting adopted, but the Idaho rescue sent him back to Waco after they determined that they wouldn’t be able to find him a home.

Why can’t Rusty get adopted?

Rusty’s biggest hurdles were his hyperactive nature and tendency to not being able to get along with other dogs, both factors that can make or break a dog’s chances of finding the right home. This was probably due to Rusty not getting the attention he needed, becoming depressed, and lashing out.

The staff at the Waco shelter refused to give up on him and tried to work with him on his behavioral issues.

Giving Rusty a second chance

To help him learn to socialize better with other dogs, Rusty was allowed to join the Dogs Playing for Life program by the Humane Society of Central Texas. This program was designed to help dogs just like Rusty by allowing them to take part in playgroups with other dogs, regardless of breed, age, behavior, or other issues.

Victory followed by defeat

All of his training paid off as Rusty was able to finally find a home after 419 days in a shelter. But his joy was short-lived. Rusty ended up back at the shelter after just one day. He had bitten his new owners and acted out to the point where they felt they had no choice but to return him.

Rusty begins searching for his forever home once again

The staff at the Waco shelter were not upset with the family that had adopted Rusty, saying in a statement:

“We are not at all upset with his adopters. They did the right thing bringing him back because he is a lot of work, and he did nip at them. Not every dog is right for every family. We know there’s a lot of judgment going on about the family that returned him. But you know what, they didn’t let him go in the street, they didn’t let anything happen to him, they acknowledged he wasn’t the right dog for them, and they brought him back.”

Even after all Rusty has been through the shelter staff still feel that he can find the perfect home. All he needs is a yard that he can run around in and play, plus it would be nice if his new owner had another dog or cat for him to play with. One thing they think is not for Rusty are homes with small children

If you are interested in adopting or fostering a dog from the City of Waco Animal Services, visit the organization’s Website.

For more on Rusty and his antics, check out the video below!

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Source: KCENNews, People, NBC 26 News, Facebook – Humane Society of Central Texas