Couple Drive 1,800 Miles to Adopt 'Unsocialized' Dog After Seeing Her Online

A couple who drove for more than 1,800 miles to collect a dog that they were told was "scared" and "unsocialized" are thrilled that their new companion has settled into her new home.

Clove is a 5-year-old Havanese who was waiting for a new home at a rescue in Columbia, Missouri.

Husband and wife Dale Roe and Kristen Douglas, who live in North Carolina, had lost their beloved dog the previous year and felt ready to look for a new companion, so Kristen began looking online.

"I'm allergic to dog fur, and some breeds (like Havanese) don't shed," Kristen told Newsweek. "I was looking online for Havanese rescues and found a map that gathered together information from rescues all over the U.S."

Their previous dog, Pocket, was also a Havanese, but Kristen said they didn't know what breed he was until they did some research.

"We felt that we loved the breed, but we aren't thrilled about purchasing an expensive puppy that is purebred when there are so many dogs out there in shelters that need homes. We were torn," she said.

Looking at local shelters, the couple struggled to find the breed they were looking for and eventually found the 3 C's Rescue Ranch in Missouri.

"The rescue had been contacted previously by an ethical breeder. Not a puppy mill, but the dogs still had no socialization or love from humans," explained Douglas.

"The rescue helped find homes for the female dogs who had birthed two litters in exchange for help rescuing dogs from kill shelters. I contacted the rescue, and we talked for quite some time until they found us worthy of adopting one of their Havanese rescues."

In early May 2023, the couple were told they could adopt one of the dogs and quickly decided to make the journey of more than 1,800 miles to Missouri from their North Carolina home.

"We were willing to drive to Missouri partly because we were used to the drive—I grew up in Missouri, and still have family about an hour and a half from the rescue," explained Kristen. "We drove, met them in a Feed Supply store, and realized that, of the two Havanese they had for rescue, this little one was the one.

"She was terrified, but also interested in everything going on around her. So, we adopted her, went to visit my family for a day, then drove back home with her," she said.

When she first arrived home, Clove was shy, scared of noises and not a fan of her new unfamiliar environment.

"She had a few setbacks at first. Loud noises, our two rambunctious young cats, which are also rescues, and just being in an unfamiliar place," explained Kristen. "However, recently, though still very shy with strangers, she has begun to come out of her shell in a big way with Dale and me."

Now nicely settled with her new family, including feline friends Nutmeg and Eggnog, Clove has gained attention online this week after her new family shared pictures of her on Reddit's r/aww subreddit.

"Because well, look at her," said Kristen. "She is aww-worthy. It was a whim because that picture was just awesome. She's very photogenic."

Reddit users tended to agree with Kristen.

"She is simply adorable," said peach_turtle, while stfrances2968 wrote: "Blessings to you for giving her a forever home."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.

UPDATE 09/07/2023 11:04 a.m. ET: This article was updated to fix the misspelling of Kristen's name.