Shoto (previously Harpo) arrived at PAWS Atlanta in 2014. As a young hound mix, he was big, energetic, and full of enthusiasm. While this is a recipe for a perfect adventure buddy, it can make life difficult in the shelter. Our biggest dogs often have the hardest time adjusting to shelter life. They need all the space they can get to stretch their legs, especially when they're high-energy. We worried that if Shoto spent too much time in the shelter, he might become anxious and frustrated, leading to behavior issues that are barriers to adoption. We've seen this happen before, and we hoped we wouldn't see it again with Shoto.

Luckily for us and for Shoto, the perfect people came along! A young couple came to meet him, and they fell in love with his sweet, playful demeanor. Shoto had found a family to take him on all the adventures his heart desired, and that they did!

They visited National Parks, went hiking, and traveled to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. And Shoto had the time of his life every step of the way! He earned many nicknames, often affectionately called "Hound Dog" and, most recently, "Doggy" by his eight-month-old baby brother. His family moved to the West Coast several years ago, continuing his grand adventure. He journeyed across the country three times, drinking up every second of it.

Earlier this year, Shoto's family reached out to our team to let us know that his big adventure had come to an end. Sweet Shoto crossed the rainbow bridge in March, but his legacy lives on. His family donated a number of much-needed items to PAWS Atlanta in his honor. They told us, "While our hearts are broken, we are forever grateful to PAWS for providing a home to our boy before he made his way to us. He had an amazing life full of love and hikes (his favorite!), all made possible by the life-saving work you do at PAWS. Thank you doesn't begin to cover it." The pleasure is all ours, grateful that Shoto lived the incredible life he deserved and that his family chose to honor him by giving more animals a chance to find their forever home too.