Dog Who Spent 890 Days In Shelter Finds Forever Home

BABYLON, NY — A dog who spent 890 days in the Babylon Animal Shelter has finally found his forever home.

Finnley, a pit-bull terrier mix who came to the shelter on Sept. 13, 2019, at 4 years old, was adopted Feb. 19 by his new owners, Emma Sanes and Harold Sampson, the shelter said.

Christine Franke, a shelter volunteer, told Patch that Finnley’s story is one all too similar to other shelter dogs.

Before he was rescued, Finnley spent the majority of his life outside, chained up in a pen. The only shelter he had was a small dog house.

When his owner passed away, Finnley was found in his yard in horrible conditions.

“He was standing on top of his house. There was no food, no water,” Franke said. “There were maggots in his bowl.”

Franke said that he came to the shelter scared, shy and emaciated. Yet it was the best place for him to be.

“Believe it or not, the shelter was an upgrade for him, as sad as that sounds,” she said.

Franke said she herself gifted Finnley his name, as his reddish coat reminded him of a stereotypical Irish man.

“If I could put him in a little green sweater and a hat with a little cigar, it would have been perfect,” she said.

Volunteers worked closely with Finnley, teaching him basic commands and how to walk on a leash. But most importantly, he learned how to trust people.

“We have a little room in the shelter that we hang out with them in. So I brought him in there a lot and he would hang out on the bed,” said Lyndsey Grosjean, kennel attendant at the shelter. “We just taught him how to be a dog.”

The shelter said Finn required a quiet home with older children “where he can relax and receive some much needed TLC.” He was not friendly with other dogs, the shelter said, and needed to be the only pet in a household.

“He can be shy and nervous with new people but once he warms up, he's super loving and affectionate,” the shelter added.

Volunteers made numerous efforts to see the brown eyed-boy get adopted, such as creating the Facebook page, “Finn Wants To Go Home.”

But even those efforts took time.

“The shelter posted him constantly, but we just never found someone that was the right fit for him,” she said.

Grosjean told Patch that the average amount of time a dog spends in the shelter is six months. But dogs that require experienced and special care can be there for years.

The shelter’s longest resident, Sandy, a tan pit-bull mix, has been at the shelter for more than 900 days.

But for Finnley, his long-awaited day finally came.

Sanes and Sampson of Lindenhurst told Patch they came to the shelter on Valentine's Day and were originally interested in another dog. They happened to see a binder of other adoptable dogs by chance, she said, and saw Finnley’s picture.

The couple asked to meet him and were told to be cautious, because he could be nervous around new people.

When Finnley came into the room, Sampson said, he was carrying two tennis balls in his mouth.

They bonded right away.

"He came right in, and he hopped right up on me and started licking my face," Sampson said. "And I was like, 'What are you talking about?'"

According to Sampson, Finnley has quickly adjusted to his new environment.

On the day he went to his new home, Finnley acted nervous in the car. But that same day, his owners said, he was snuggling into their laps and fell asleep.

"It's like we've known him our whole lives already," he said. "He just fell in love with us just as much as we fell in love with him."

The shelter, Sampson said, has been super supportive post-adoption, from free training to answering any questions.

“It's the best feeling in the world to have a long resident dog, especially a dog like Finnley who came from really abusive situation, to go into a home where he's snuggled up on the couch,” said Franke.

The love the shelter gave Finnley, Sampson said, allowed him to adjust easily in his new home.

"I let them know that I'm sure it was difficult for them to let go of him," Sampson said he told the shelter, "but that we were going to love him just as much."

Grosjean said that by sharing Finnley’s story, others can learn that a shelter dog can be the perfect companion — all it takes is a little patience.

“I think that people misunderstand shelter dogs and they don't give them a chance to decompress in the house. Shelters are very stressful places,” she said. “Give these dogs a chance to open up in your home.”

Sampson told Patch that he and his fiancée recently moved into the downstairs section of his parents' house to take care of his mother, who has ALS. Finnley, he said, became the "perfect" dog to complete his family.

"We figured now was a good time to bring some some positivity into the house," Sampson said. "He's certainly done it."

Anyone who interested in adopting a dog, cat or small creature can visit the Babylon Animal Shelter website, email BAARC@townofbabylon.com, or call 631 -643-9270.