Top 10 Happy Tails of 2023: Meet Sake

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!

For Sake, Age is Just a Number

You may remember him for his sweet, gray face or his short and stubby legs; either way we all remember Sake for his spritely spirit despite being 13 years old, proving that age is just a number!

Madison and her partner have always had a sweet spot for senior dogs. They have had their pup, Forrest, who is 16 years old, for four years now. Forrest was previously the best little brother to their other senior dog, Herbie, who passed away only a few months after he was adopted. Following Herbie’s passing, Forrest was clearly saddened. He refused to get out of bed or eat. With an aching heart, Madison knew that they needed to find another sibling to complete their family.

As fate usually has it, Madison and her partner had just returned from a trip to Japan when they came across Sake’s profile online. His name was a clear sign that they had to meet, so they quickly registered to adopt not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to meet him. Little did they know that Sake had been in foster care for three months, just waiting for the stars to align just so. His future family had finally arrived.

(No beers were consumed by Sake, we promise)

“Sake seamlessly became part of the family.”

Madison describes Sake as a “gentleman of a dog,” always exuding love wherever he goes. Sake will never shy away from attempting to grab the attention from all the dogs and people that he can. And while he’s nearly 14 years old, he is just as agile as ever. After conquering the initial unknown of what a car ride can lead to, Sake now confidently hops in, knowing that it’ll lead to his family’s next big adventure. Together they have traveled to Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, and North Carolina. In each state, Sake and his new pack make an effort to go to a brewery – his favorite place!

When he’s not hamming it up over beers, Sake loves to sleep. He has his own language, groaning and whining if you ever try to wake him up before he is ready. Following his brother Forrest around, snuggling and sniffing his ears wherever he can, Sake is truly one of the happiest tails of all.