After 11 Years At Downstate Shelter, Wiggles Finds A Forever Home

GODFREY, IL — There was a time not that long ago when it appeared that a 14-year-old Pitbull mix named Wiggles would never find a home other than the shelter in downstate Godfrey where she had been housed for the past 11 years.

Despite the efforts of those who looked after Wiggles at the 5A’s Animal Shelter to get her noticed, the dog who came to the facility in 2010 when she was just 3 years old never seemed to garner any serious attention.

But after years of waiting, Wiggles has found a new home.

According to a television report, Wiggles came to the shelter after she developed allergies that became too expensive for her former owners to afford. So the workers who look after the animals in the kennel in the shelter took over Wiggles’ care, hoping a new owner would eventually show to adopt the lovable dog with the unshakable name.

Six years after she arrived at 5As, however, Wiggles developed a cantaloupe-sized tumor. A veterinarian determined the tumor was benign and would just be needed to be watched to ensure it didn’t lead to any further issues, the report said.

In the years since, employees at the 5A’s shelter never saw any impact on Wiggles’ ability to run or play, the television station reported. But the combination of the tumor, Wiggles’ age and allergies kept her from being adopted, workers feared.

The shelter attempted to raise funds to have the tumor removed, but veterinarians feared that Wiggles was too old to undergo the operation. The search for a new home for Wiggles continued as employees at the shelter did their best to make a case for adoption.

Last month, the shelter made a heart-felt plea on its Facebook page. The post said after 11 years, the shelter was making it their 2021 New Year’s Resolution to find Wiggles a forever home. The post stated while that Wiggles didn’t seem to care for other dogs, she was fine with cats and kids – as long as they understand she’s on the other side, the post said.

Finally, the call came over the weekend when a pet lover from St. Louis called and said they wanted to bring Wiggles home.

Shelter director Rick Jun called the new owner a great fit for Wiggles, making for a happy ending – more than a decade after the dog arrived at the facility.