It was an emotional moment for staff members at Wags Pet Adoption in Westminster when Bruce the Dog, a 2-year-old chocolate-colored dog, was finally able to leave the rescue organization after 423 days.
“I’m not crying. Who am I kidding? We are all crying,” the group said in a social media post in March. “Thank you to everyone who loved him from inside the shelter as well as from afar. Because of all of you, he is in his forever home tonight.”
When Bruce was rescued, the previous shelter had told Wags that he was a problem dog with too much energy and resistance to obedience training. But shelters can be a scary and unsettling place for young pups as they are often too crowded and too loud with different animals barking at the same time.
But the rescue organization decided to take a chance on Bruce and matched him with a foster family to teach him basic skills to live in a house with a family. The hard work paid off when the Fabers in Huntington Beach wanted to bring the pup home to fill the void in their hearts.
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“Last year, we lost of one of our little dogs,” Hilary Faber, Bruce’s new mom, said. “Bruce reminded me of a chocolate lab bullterrier mix I had in my childhood. He was beautiful.”
Thor Faber, the pup’s new dad, said Bruce adjusted well despite some “sibling rivalry” with the older dog, Mr. Reese, whom the couple adopted in 2009.
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“He’s a good boy. He just needed a better environment,” Thor said. “We love that we got him, but I wish someone had adopted him a year ago.”
Bruce was being showered with love with no shortage of hugs and belly rubs in his new home. The pup even became quite attached to his new dad, accompanying him to work and car rides.
”He puts his paws and hang onto you,” described Thor.
Hilary added that Bruce was often recognized around Orange County after Wags posted on social media multiple times to promote the pup’s adoption for more than a year.
"He's like a movie star!"
