The saying “you don’t pick the dog, the dog picks you” couldn’t be more true in Hank’s case. Hank is a white shepherd rescued from a Memphis shelter. He spent 6 days in foster, then transferred to a long-term foster home, only to escape and travel 11 miles in two days to get back to what he determined was his forever home – the first foster home he lived in.
Rachel Kauffman a veterinarian from the area met Hank after he was rescued by Tiffany Ford. The plan was for Kauffman to house the dog temporarily while a long-term foster was found. There, Hank would be nursed back to health, get ready for adoption and in the near future get sent to an ideal forever home.
However, after Hank met Kauffman and her pack of dogs he made up his mind and said the Kauffman household was his forever home.
The foster mom made into a forever pet parent told The Commercial Appeal the rescue dog bonded quickly with her and her dogs, but she was not planning on adding another dog to her pack. When a long term foster was found, Kauffman was ready to say goodbye, but Hank had other plans.
On Oct. 30, 2015, Hank was transferred to his long-term foster home, located approximately 11 miles away. He spent two days there and then escaped. Rescuers printed fliers, used social media and took out to the streets to find him, but the elusive dog managed to slip rescuers and kept on moving.
Hank’s whereabouts were known thanks to locals calling rescuers and letting them know where they last had seen him. Even though rescuers were tracking him they didn’t realize where the dog was headed until he was a block away from Kauffman’s house.
Nicole Douglas a volunteer looking for the dog called Kauffman once she located Hank a block away from his first foster home. From a distance, Douglas followed the dog until he reached his destination – Kauffman’s front porch.
After an exciting two days, 11-mile journey, Hank was home. Kauffman who had also bonded with the dog decided that if Hank made her home his forever home, she was not going to fight him on that.
Hank was home to stay for good.
