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All shelter dogs are just waiting for the moment someone will finally take them home. That first time they realize they’re leaving the shelter is a very special moment, as is the first ride to their new home — it’s often referred to as their “freedom ride.”
And sometimes these lucky dogs have ways of showing their appreciation to their rescuers… like one dog, who gave his new friend a very special gesture as they drove off together.
In 2018, a 4-year-old dog named Regan suddenly found herself homeless after her owner passed away. She ended up at a shelter, looking for a new home.
Soon, she met Kim Mozena Rezac, who quickly fell for the dog. After getting to know Regan and earn her trust, she knew she could give her a home.
“You could tell she was scared and afraid. I would go in and give her treats and sit with her and talk,” Kim told Today. “Our shelter is wonderful, and our volunteers do such a great job with the animals. But I hated for her to be there if she could be curled up on a couch at my house.”
So she took Regan home as a foster pet. It was a two-and-a-half hour drive from the shelter to her house, and Regan rode in the passenger seat.
And then, she did something beautiful: she held Kim’s hand with her paw.
“She wanted to hold my hand the whole way. If I took it away she would paw at it,” Kim said. “She just wanted to be touching.”
It was a touching moment—one that shows the impact adopting and fostering a shelter dog can have. Regan clearly knew she had been saved and trusted Kim right from the beginning.
“She was so nervous and scared in the shelter but as soon as she jumped into my car she seemed so grateful.”
Kim didn’t keep Regan for herself: as her foster mom, she helped her find her “forever home.”
Thanks to the adorable viral video of their drive, it didn’t take long for the adoption requests to start coming in. Soon, Kim found the perfect couple, and Regan was adopted for good.
Kim hopes that the story will show the big difference it makes to help get these dogs out of shelters, and inspire more people to get involved.
What a beautiful video! It shows how grateful these dogs are for people’s help and love. Share this heartwarming story!
