A photo of Eli cuddling with a cat helped a shy dog catch a prospective adopter’s attention—but it was one step in a longer journey. After months of patient care at the SPCA of Brevard and time in a foster home, the picture prompted an inquiry. Eli’s eventual adopter then met him, walked with him, and watched him play in a backyard before bringing him home.
Why Eli was hard to get to know at the shelter
Eli was two years old when he arrived at the SPCA of Brevard in Florida. Federal law enforcement had seized him and more than 150 other dogs in a dogfighting case. Although he was physically well, he was shut down and so frightened that he would not leave his crate, according to Best Friends Animal Society’s March 25, 2026 feature.
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Shelter staff and volunteers worked with Eli over several months. Staff member Shelby let him stay in her office, where the quieter setting gave him space to settle. Over time, he began to enjoy the play yard and grew more comfortable. But in meet-and-greets, his shyness made it difficult for potential adopters to see what he might be like at home.
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Makenna Carew had fostered cats, but not dogs. She decided to give Eli a chance, and after he had a successful introduction to her dogs, she took him home. “I had to give him a chance,” Makenna says.
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At first, Eli was timid around Makenna’s cat, Loki. As he settled in, though, he began joining the family on the couch and cuddling with Loki as the cat’s “big spoon.” Living in a home also gave Makenna practical observations to share with people considering adoption: how Eli behaved around other pets and how he relaxed in a familiar setting.
How the cuddle photo led to an adoption inquiry
Makenna posted a photo of Eli cuddling with Loki on the SPCA of Brevard’s Facebook page. The post received more than 1,000 likes and hundreds of comments, according to the Best Friends feature. It also prompted a message from someone interested in adopting Eli.
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The photo helped people notice him, but it was not the whole adoption story. Michael Criss, his roommate, and the roommate’s dog met Eli and Makenna at a dog park. They walked together, then went to Michael’s home. Eli hesitated at the front door at first, but soon ran and played in the backyard. Michael adopted him after meeting him in person and seeing how he responded.
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A few months later, Eli was enjoying car rides and treats, playing with the other dog in the household, and mostly ignoring the two resident cats. He still wasn’t sure about baths. At home, he napped on a big dog bed beside Michael’s work-from-home desk and slept on the human bed at night.
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“He needs a lot of love,” Michael says. “He’s got a lot of love.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Eli’s story shows about helping a shy shelter dog
Eli’s experience illustrates how patient shelter care, a foster home, and a useful photograph can each contribute to an adoption. The quieter office and play-yard time helped him become more comfortable; fostering showed his behavior around pets in a home; and the photo brought his story to a wider audience. The eventual adopter still needed to meet Eli and see how he responded in person.
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This is one dog’s story, not a promise that a foster placement or social-media post will lead to adoption for every animal. The SPCA of Brevard adopts out about 1,600 pets a year, according to the 2026 Best Friends feature, but Eli’s experience shows why a foster’s observations and a clear, appealing photo can be useful tools when a dog’s personality is hard to see during a shelter visit.
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For someone considering fostering, the practical value can be as simple as giving a dog time in a home and sharing honest observations about daily routines and interactions with people and other pets. In Eli’s case, that fuller picture helped prospective adopters see more than the frightened dog who once stayed in his crate.
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