When Sadie and her littermates arrived to the Harris County Animal Shelter in Texas, they were only a few months old. Sadie was adopted by a family after staff members snapped photos of the adorable puppy. This was not the kind of family Sadie was searching for—one that would stay forever. Last month, Sadie's family dropped her off at the Harris County Animal Shelter with Ashley Roberts in attendance. 

Roberts told the Dodo that "[Sadie] was curled up in a ball." I genuinely thought she was a scared animal that had been found after becoming lost. Even with the people she was with, she didn't appear comfortable. "We thought we were going to keep her," they said, citing [Hurricane] Harvey. Roberts went on. They didn't appear to regret returning her to the shelter though, did they? 

When a staff member scanned Sadie's microchip and checked their databases for a record of her data, Sadie's puppy picture came up. 

The employee "almost started crying," claims Roberts. He was unable to function after seeing her first photo and the thought of her going straight to a death shelter. The dog we saw in front of us and her self-assured puppy portrait were in stark contrast. He was on the verge of crying. I had already started crying. The next week, a different family asked that Sadie be taken from the shelter and placed in their house. At first, everyone was jubilant, thinking Sadie's bad luck had finally ended. But a week later, Sadie was also welcomed back by her new family.

Roberts said of her second surrender, "I wasn't there, but [the new family] claimed she kept urinating in the house." According to the article, "What we think happened was that she was so scared that she nervously urinated." When they were able to find Sadie a better, longer-term home, the crew posted pictures of her on Facebook in an effort to assist her as soon as possible. A young woman soon got in touch with the shelter and offered to foster Sadie with the goal of adopting her. 

According to Roberts, "We work to provide adoption and foster counseling so that these animals and people have a higher chance of success with the adoption." Give [Sadie] some space and time to settle down; she's gone through so much, the statement stated. We were quite clear that [Sadie] shouldn't be around any other dogs for at least a week. According to Roberts, the young woman disobeyed him for an unspecified reason. 

"We believed it would work out since she seemed to have good intentions," Roberts continued. “So she took her home and said, ‘Oh, she’s doing so well.'” It was begged of the sister to "bring your dog over." Later, as her sister approaches her dog, Sadie is assaulted." 

Sadie had bite scars all over her neck when she was delivered to the Harris County Animal Shelter for the fourth time. Roberts remarked, "It's just bad luck, that's all." “I’ve never seen another dog returned this many times.” 

To assist Sadie get her life back on track, the shelter staff arranged for her to be put in a foster home with Down South Rescue. 

"Director of Down South Rescue Sharon Fanning told The Dodo that Sadie is working with a seasoned foster. She continues to maintain a mistrust and a fear of others. She does, however, share a close bond with her foster mother. She will require some time to fully recover, both physically and mentally. Additionally, we will be very picky about who we let adopt her." Sadie won't be ready for adoption for a while, but Roberts wants to ensure that when she is, she is placed in the best possible household. 

"She doesn't appear to have a malicious bone in her body, according to Roberts. She was a genuinely kind lady in the shelter. We only ask that she be kept in a household that will love and care for her."