Back in 2013, Ginger was just a young pup when she arrived at Dogwood Animal Shelter in Missouri. Someone had abandoned her, leaving her heartbroken and her trust shattered. She was only a couple of years old at the time, but the experiences of her early life had left their mark.
Ginger was anxious and slow to trust — qualities that, in the eyes of some, made her seem “unadoptable.” It's a cruel word that basically means "nobody wants you." And for Ginger, it felt true. While other dogs found families and went home to warm beds and loving arms, Ginger stayed behind.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Months turned into years.
Seven years passed. Can you imagine? Seven years of watching potential families choose other dogs. Seven years of sleeping on a cold kennel floor instead of a cozy couch. Seven years of wondering if anyone would ever see past her fears to the loving heart underneath.
By 2020, Ginger wasn't a young dog anymore. Her beautiful brown coat had turned gray and white. She was now a senior dog who had spent most of her life waiting for something that seemed like it would never come.
Then something magical happened. A man named Scott Poore heard about Ginger's story, and it broke his heart wide open. Scott worked with an organization called Mission Driven, and he decided right then and there that Ginger's story needed to be heard.
"It absolutely broke my heart," Scott said. "So I stopped what I was doing and dedicated all of my time to her. I started telling her story to anyone that would listen."
For the first time in seven years, Ginger had someone fighting for her. Someone who believed she deserved love. Someone who refused to let her story end in that cold kennel.
Scott's efforts worked. People started paying attention to Ginger's story, and among them was a woman named Beth. When Beth saw those tired, hopeful eyes staring back at her, she knew she had to act.
Beth decided to give this old girl the second chance she'd been waiting for her entire life.
What happened next was nothing short of miraculous. In Beth’s home, something inside Ginger began to change. The scared, anxious dog who had lived in survival mode for seven years started to remember what it felt like to be loved.
"100 percent, there was a transformation," Beth said. "She was very skittish and protective at first. Now she will walk into a new environment with her head held high."
Imagine watching a dog discover what it means to be truly free. Ginger learned to jump on beds. She learned to walk confidently on different floors. She learned that she didn't have to be afraid anymore.
"Seeing her jump on a bed or walk on floors and be able to be a dog was amazing to see," Beth said. "She's not this fragile shelter dog anymore. She knows her name and she stand bold with it."
In a way, Ginger's real life didn't start until she was 10 years old. But here's the beautiful thing – she knew it. She embraced every moment of her new life with the joy of a puppy, even though she was now a senior dog.
Today, Ginger is 13 years old. Like many older dogs, she faces some health challenges. But those seven years in the shelter don't seem to weigh her down. She's making up for lost time.
"She is an old girl, but very puppy-like nowadays," Beth said with a smile.
Ginger’s world had changed immeasurably for the better — and in the act of changing it, Beth's had too.
Beth was a young adult dealing with her own anxiety when she adopted Ginger. Now, years later, Beth is married, owns a home, and has built a successful career.
"Ginger and I have definitely grown together," Beth explained. "I feel like when I got her, we were both kids entering adulthood together."
The lessons went both ways. "I think the most important thing Ginger taught me is that it's okay to start over," Beth said. "That no matter what life gives you, there's a better tomorrow – you can't grow in the same place that broke you. We are thriving together now."
Beth has a challenge for all of us: "I want to challenge more people to adopt the 'unadoptable' or long-term animal and give them a second chance to love and live."