It took almost a year to find the perfect match for the dog having stayed the longest this year at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.
But all worked out. Nekoosa — a mixed-breed dog “with the perfect mix of of laid-back and fun-loving energy” — recently went home with her new family on her 362nd day in the pet shelter’s care.
“We are beyond thrilled,” shelter officials said. “We’re so grateful to her new family for opening their hearts to this special girl, and we know she’s going to have the most amazing life ahead.”
Nekoosa was part of a group the Animal Welfare League calls VIPs — “Very Important Pets” — that have been at the shelter for extended stays. For those pets, adoption fees are waived and four free weeks of training are offered to adopting families.
The organization sends out social-media posts and emails to draw attention to its VIPs.
“One of those posts is what helped this family find Nekoosa,” Animal Welfare League officials said, thanking the public for helping to spread the word.
“You continue to make a difference, and are an integral part of our mission,” the shelter said.
In the most recent year for which figures are reported (2023-24), the organization saw 464 dogs adopted from the shelter. Adding in cats and companion animals, more than 2,600 adoptions took place during that fiscal year.
