Top 10 Happy Tails of 2023: Meet Latte

As 2023 comes to a close, we're taking a look back at all of the lives that we’ve saved thanks to your support. While there are really more than 950 stories we could tell, we've chosen 10 dogs to highlight that include long stays, medical cases, seniors and a newborn puppy. Thank you for making each of these stories possible, and for being part of another amazing year of lifesaving in 2024!

Our first Happy Tail of 2023 is Latte, a pup whose six-month wait in foster care led to a heartwarming forever home with the Doyle family.

In May 2022, Margaret and John faced the loss of their beloved dog Luke, leaving a void in their hearts. Despite their grief, they knew they would someday welcome another furry friend to join Mia, their playful pit rescue from Puerto Rico. The Doyles, with a history of rescuing pits, were moved by their son and his wife's adoption of Sierra Mist (another MPR fav!) in 2020.

For months, Margaret and John followed MPR’s social media closely and refreshed the ‘Adoptable Dogs’ website page. Margaret tended to lean towards the puppies, but John was steadfast on his choice for their next pup: it needed to be Latte.

When Latte came into foster care, he had patchy fur, was underweight, had trust issues, and had a whole lot of separation anxiety – he also had a giant heart to give as much love and as many cuddles as people would let him; he was goofy and playful, and happy and grateful.

John followed Latte’s foster journey through his foster Haley and her MPR alum pup Mushu on Instagram - watched his fur start to grow back in, his hilarious high jumps when he was excited, and his taste for veggies - and knew it was meant to be.

When Christmas of 2022 arrived, all John wanted that year was Latte. Just four days after Christmas Day, Margaret and John drove into the city to meet the pup they’d been admiring from afar. They dotted I’s and crossed T’s, gave treats and pets, and soon they were on their way home to Skillman for a Trial Adoption week with Latte. Just two days later, to kick off 2023, the Doyles were asking to keep him forever.

Latte settled in as Mia’s little brother and sidekick quickly. Latte’s new backyard consists of 40 acres of preserved land. He’s joined Mia as an additional “guardian of the field,” running freely together or enjoying stunning sunsets from his post on the deck overlook. They trot side-by-side on neighborhood walks, spend their nights cuddled up watching Netflix, and watch Margaret work from a comfy couch in her office. Over the summer, Latte learned what being poolside is like, and boy, he makes quite the lifeguard.

As another Christmas approaches, the Doyles are excited to feature Latte in their Christmas card, celebrating his first year as an official member of their family.