09/04/2026
🐾 AUGUST SUCCESS STORY! 🐾
Every adoption has a story, but sometimes one family reminds us exactly why we do what we do. ❤️
This month’s success story comes from Tori, who has opened her heart and home to not one, not two, but THREE HSFC dogs: Levi, Raya, and Ryker.
Here is their story, that their mom, Tori shares:
“Levi: I adopted Levi in February of 2018 after I had been in an abusive relationship. Little did I know that a Blue Heeler mix would be the calm that my heart needed to heal during that time. Levi has always been docile, down to earth, cuddly, and incredibly intelligent. Even at 11 months old, even as a herding dog, even as a crazy boy who got zoomies in the play yard at our meet and greet; Levi has been a chill boy from the moment I brought him home. I had so many people say to me, “he’s not even a year old, and he’s just laying there. How did you train him so well?” It’s easy to train your soul dog, that’s always my answer. He is now 9 years old, pushing 10, and steals the heart (and food!) of every person he comes into contact with. Levi loves to push his disproportionately small head into your body, and flop down right in front of you to get you to pet him. A lot of years and a handful of extra pounds later, Levi is the guiding paw that leads our pack. Whether that be through playful grumbles or corrective glares, Levi is always there. Levi (also lovingly known as Sush or Fat Barrell) loves to check on things, go on patrol around the yard, loves car rides and any treat you could possibly imagine, and tolerates his younger sister and brother in the most loving way. Levi is the type of dog you only find once, and I am blessed to have had him for the entirety of my 20s.
Raya: I adopted Raya in June of 2025, as soon as I saw her picture; I knew she belonged with me. Levi had always been a lone dog, though he was always tolerant of other dogs. As Levi was getting older, I decided it was time to bring another dog in. Meeting Raya was like meeting a scared toddler that hides behind their mom. You could tell she wanted to play and interact, but she had no trust that humans could be kind or loving. Raya appeared to be dumped, as she was found as a stray in Monterey. When I first walked in to meet Raya, she cowered down under a chair, was a little stinky, but wanted nothing but love. After bringing her home, Levi’s comfortability in our house brought out a whole new side to Raya. She loves other dogs, was part of pack plays at the Shelter, and being in a home was no exception. Soon, the shaking, scared dog soon became a bouncy, flighty, playful, and incredibly loving girl. Raya loves playing with her brothers, playing with her toys, and running around the yard and house with no care (or thought) in the world.
Ryker: Unlike my other two dogs, where they would have been scooped up by just about anyone, Ryker had a shaky start. As an owner surrender, my Ryker came into the shelter in December of 2025 and was absolutely terrified. Ryker was known to growl and snap when entering/exiting the kennel, did not trust just anyone, and was completely on his way to shutting down entirely. I just want to say right now; Kayla Lee with the HSFC is just as responsible for saving Ryker’s life as my boyfriend and I are. Kayla saw a scared dog, but a dog that was just waiting for the right family, the right chance, to be everything she saw. After talking with Kayla at an adoption event, my boyfriend and I decided we were going to put in the work on this dog. For three weeks, I went to the shelter almost every day to see Ryker. He never, not one time, growled, lunged, or snapped at me. It is like he knew he was about to come home for good. After weeks of meet and greets with us and our original 2 dogs, it was time to bring Ryker home. Ryker came home, and you could immediately see the relief come over this dog. He relaxed into the couch between his dad and I, went to bed quietly, didn’t cause a fight with either sibling. After about 3 days, Ryker completely came out of his shell. He’d run around the yard with his sister, dance circles around his old brother trying to get Levi to play. Now, our boy is completely settled. He absolutely adores every single person he has ever met in our home, he loves to play with his siblings, and his absolute favorite thing to do is herd his humans and siblings, whether physically or through his incredible stubbornness. We are honored to have had the chance to rescue a dog that so many had written off. To the family that sponsored Ryker’s adoption, thank you. We were so touched to learn that someone else saw his potential, even if he wasn’t the right fit for their family.
💗To Kayla; thank you for always knowing who the best fit for these dogs is. Thank you for always advocating for them, and thank you for never, ever shying away from reality. I hope Ryker’s experience and story show people that the dog you see in the shelter isn’t always the dog you are actually getting. Some dogs take extra time, patience, education, and love. And we are eternally grateful to the HSFC for connecting with our three perfect babies.”
❤️ Thank you, Tori, for giving three HSFC dogs the lives they deserve and for sharing their story with us. This is exactly what rescue is all about… seeing the dog beneath the fear, giving them a chance, and loving them for a lifetime.
🐾 Happy August Success Story!🐾
