Little Howie arrived at the BC SPCA Kamloops & District Branch after his previous family moved and left him behind in the apartment.

Staff and volunteers quickly fell in love with the energetic, social Cairn terrier/shih tzu mix, who showed his appreciation for walks with the constant wag of his tail.

Although friendly with those he knew, Howie was understandably a bit fearful with new people and especially when it came to spending time alone. Staff knew he needed an extra special family to help him come out of his shell and to feel safe in his new home.

Luckily Howie found just the right match. His family has written to share an update:

Howie came into our lives while we were volunteering at the Kamloops shelter. We started out fostering him, but were “foster failures” and adopted him as soon as he became available.

Howie had been abandoned and was very frightened when being left alone, so it took almost two years for him to realize that we always come back.

Howie is a snuggler and loves to curl up in my arms when we are watching TV. When he wants a treat, he even sits up like a human!

Howie’s story proves that despite a dog’s history, time, patience and love can heal even the deepest of wounds. Thank you to Howie’s family for making adoption your first option. We wish you a long, happy life together.