It always breaks our hearts to see a cute dog abandoned by their supposed forever family in a shelter. However, when unforeseen circumstances arise, it becomes even harder for the puppies to say goodbye to their home.

Ritter and his brother Corky were taken to the Humane Society for Hamilton County in Indiana when their family lost their home and was unable to care for them. Like many other dogs, Ritter was frightened and worried when he unexpectedly lost his cozy and beloved home.

“He was terrified, nervous, and heartbroken, as many dogs are,” said Megan Bousley, marketing communications consultant for the Humane Society for Hamilton County. Dogs are often confused and frightened by the unfamiliar and noisy atmosphere of the shelter, not knowing where their family has gone.

Ritter’s sorrowful and bewildered expression shattered everyone’s hearts when he was left alone in the kennel. He sat crushed against the wall and did nothing but stare down at the floor.

Despite receiving a lot of affection and comfort from everyone at the shelter, Ritter longed for a permanent family. According to Bousley, the staff showed him a lot of love and care. Although he was shy and uneasy in his kennel, he was joyful and eager to play and receive affection outside.

Everyone at the shelter was concerned about Ritter’s sadness and was determined to help him find a new family as soon as possible. The team posted his picture on Facebook in the hopes that a good dog lover would come and give Ritter the love he deserved.

Sophie Spenia finally noticed the post after it had been shared over 3,000 times and contacted the center. She had wanted to own a dog for a long time but waited until she moved to a bigger house since she had a fondness for large pups. Every morning after purchasing her first home, she searched the Humane Society for Hamilton County’s website and Facebook page for the perfect dog for her. When she finally saw Ritter’s heart-wrenching photo, she knew she had found her ideal pet.

When Sophie Spenia first saw Ritter’s photo and description at 6 a.m., she immediately emailed her sister and said they had to rescue him from the shelter right after work. Two hours later, her sister texted her the popular Facebook post she had seen. Spenia explained the situation to her employer, who advised her to leave work right away and head to the shelter. He also loves dogs.

Despite her worries that Ritter might find it difficult to give his heart to a new family, Spenia was overjoyed when he responded so affectionately. “I could tell he was such a sweetheart the moment he jogged straight over to me and buried his huge cute head right in my lap,” Spenia added. “I had to take him home!”

After completing some paperwork, Ritter and his loving new mother finally arrived at their forever home on Thursday. On the drive home, he couldn’t stop smiling because he was so excited.

Ritter, the saddest puppy in the shelter, has finally found the kindest new mother, and it makes me so happy to see him smile again. He will undoubtedly spend the rest of his days in love and joy in his new forever home.