Meet Mr. Pugsley — a sweet, silly pup who’s been waiting over seven months for someone to take a chance on him.
Though he’s full of personality and charm, life outside the walls of Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL) has been mostly a mystery to him.
Until now.
Thanks to SRSL’s new weekend foster program, Mr. Pugsley recently left the shelter for the first time in months — and got to sleep in a real bed. His reaction? Pure magic.
Mr. Pugsley’s journey began in January, when a concerned local called the rescue after spotting the dog lingering at the end of his driveway.
“The dog had just sort of shown up,” said Donna Lochmann, SRSL’s Chief Life Saving Officer. “The man was worried about him, so he called us, and we took him in.”
From day one, Mr. Pugsley stole the hearts of the SRSL staff with his goofy, affectionate nature.
“He’s just a big goofball,” Lochmann said. “I honestly couldn’t tell you why he’s been at the shelter so long.”
Despite his lovable personality, month after month passed without a single adoption application. His shelter friends found homes — but Mr. Pugsley stayed behind.
That changed with the launch of Rovernights, a weekend foster program created to give long-term shelter residents a break from kennel life.
The idea is simple: volunteers take a dog home for a couple of days and shower them with love, no strings attached.
“Some animals have been adopted, some just enjoy a weekend away, and others become permanent fosters,” Lochmann explained. “But every one of them benefits.”
Mr. Pugsley was recently chosen for one of these weekend adventures — and the experience moved his foster to tears.
Instead of playing non-stop or exploring his temporary home, Mr. Pugsley found the bed … and curled up right away.
“Mr. Pugsley and I snuggled for about 12 hours straight last night,” his foster wrote in a heartwarming Facebook post. “What a lover.”
The sweet pup spent the weekend basking in the peace and comfort of home life — something he'd never truly known before. And while returning to the shelter was bittersweet, he went back with a renewed spirit.
Now, Mr. Pugsley is still looking for his forever family — one who’ll give him that same warm bed to call his own every night.
“He’s a happy-go-lucky guy,” Lochmann said. “He’s always got that big pittie smile.”
To learn more about SRSL’s Rovernights program, click here.
To adopt or inquire about Mr. Pugsley, visit his profile here.
And to support pups like Mr. Pugsley on their journey to a better life, you can donate to Stray Rescue of St. Louis here.
