When rescuers brought a young black pittie named Cider to the Pennsylvania SPCA back in 2021, his future was uncertain.

He had just been saved from a cruel dogfighting ring — scared, thin, and confused. The shelter staff gave him a warm place to rest and endless care until his strength slowly returned.

Day by day, his gentle personality began to shine through the shadows of his past.

A Long Wait For Love

As Cider healed, volunteers hoped it wouldn’t take long for someone to see the spark in his eyes. But months passed, and then years.

Now, more than two and a half years later, Cider is still waiting.

Each morning, he greets staff with his tail wagging, wearing the same bright smile that refuses to fade. His caregivers say he still believes that one day, someone will finally stop in front of his kennel and say, “That’s my dog.”

The long shelter stay has tested him. Though he remains loving and playful, it’s clear that constant noise and the routine of shelter life have begun to wear him down.

“He’s still our happy boy,” said Pennsylvania SPCA volunteer manager Lindsey King. “But we can see how the long wait takes a little piece of him over time.”

A Day In The Sun

Recently, King decided Cider deserved a break from the endless days behind metal bars.

She packed up some toys, treats, and a soft blanket and took him for a drive to a quiet park filled with green fields and a sparkling creek.

It was Cider’s first real day of freedom in 886 days.

As soon as his paws touched the grass, the world seemed to change.

He ran in wide circles, splashing through the water, his tongue out and eyes gleaming with joy. He rolled in the warm sunlight, stretching out on his back as if he wanted to soak up every bit of peace the day could give him.

“Watching him run and play felt like watching him breathe for the first time,” King shared.

“My favorite moment was just sitting beside him as he lay there, taking in every sound and smell. You could see his body relax. He was finally at peace.”

For a few beautiful hours, the shelter walls disappeared. Cider wasn’t a rescue dog. He was just a happy dog on a sunny day — the way all dogs should be.

When it was time to leave, King’s heart ached knowing he’d soon be back in his kennel. “We only wish all of his days were like this,” the SPCA later wrote. “With the right family, they can be.”

Still Waiting For Home

Cider’s ideal home isn’t complicated.

He just needs patience, love, and understanding. He’s looking for a quiet home without small children or other pets — a place where he can learn, at his own pace, what it means to belong.

His new family will need to help him discover things he’s never known: a cozy bed that’s truly his, regular walks through a neighborhood, maybe even a favorite toy he doesn’t have to share.

“Patience will be everything,” King explained. “He’s had a hard start, but he’s eager to learn what home life feels like. Whoever adopts him will get to see a completely different side of him.”

Cider’s heart is enormous. He’s gentle, grateful, and endlessly forgiving despite what he’s endured.

Every treat, every new toy, every trip outside brings pure joy to his face. His smile lights up the shelter halls — a reminder to everyone that hope survives even after pain.

King often says that Cider gives more love than he receives. “He’s taught me so much about gratitude,” she said softly. “Even after all he’s been through, he meets every day with excitement.

His joy can turn the hardest day around. His smile is contagious.”

The Pennsylvania SPCA continues to care for Cider while he waits for that one special person who will see what everyone at the shelter already knows — that he’s a treasure.

They hope his next outing will be straight to a new home, not just for an afternoon in the park.

If you’d like to meet Cider, you can visit the Pennsylvania SPCA between noon and 6:30 p.m. or reach out by email at [email protected]. And for anyone who can’t adopt but still wants to help, donations to the Pennsylvania SPCA make sure dogs like Cider never lose their chance at love.

Because somewhere out there, someone is searching for the same thing Cider is — a forever kind of home.