After many sleepless nights filled with nerves and excitement, I finally picked up our new pup yesterday! The whole process was so smooth—huge thanks to Live Free Pet Rescue for the seamless transport and organization.
We had a 2.5-hour drive to the pickup location. The rescue gave us a four-hour pickup window, then texted a more exact ETA the morning of—earlier than expected, so we had to hustle! I met a friend partway, hopped in her car, and off we went. I was excited but also nervous. I’d never adopted a pet sight unseen before. What if he wasn’t a good fit? What if he didn’t like me? So many questions—but I trusted the rescue and what I already knew about this little guy.
At the meeting point, we checked in, finalized payment, and picked up his paperwork. While waiting in line, I chatted with other adopters and watched excited families meet their pups—it was so fun seeing names I recognized, including some of my pup’s siblings!
When it was finally our turn, I gave his rescue name—Henry—and handed over his new collar. The moment they brought him out, I got teary. He was so tiny. So skinny. But full of puppy kisses. The rescue snapped a photo of our first moments together, and then we were off.
He was a total angel in the car, curled up asleep in my lap. Later, as I switched cars for the final leg home, he gave my friend plenty of kisses to thank her for the ride, and settled quietly into his carrier.
At home, he greeted my husband and son with tail wags and cuddles. He played, explored, and climbed into everyone’s laps—he’s truly an equal opportunity napper.
He had a good dinner but wasn’t thrilled about the cold outdoors. Potty training will take some patience, but we’ll get there.
That night, he slept straight through in his crate. I checked on him a few times—he was out cold. At 7 a.m., I tried to wake him to go outside, but he just burrowed deeper and went back to sleep. I let him snooze another 90 minutes before he was ready to start his day.
He’s had a full day of snuggles, and we even made a quick trip to the pet store—carried the whole time, of course, until our vet clears him for dog interactions. I needed to fit him for a harness since his martingale collar was too big. No way was I risking a loose collar outside!
So far, he’s eating well, adjusting to outdoor potty trips, and using his indoor pads too. He loves his little sweatshirts and definitely needs some time to get used to New England weather.
Tonight, he’s already excelling as my work-from-home buddy—and we’re still working on choosing his forever name.
Vet check-up is tomorrow. Fingers crossed it all looks good!
Have you ever adopted or rescued a pet without meeting them first? I’d love to hear your stories—did it work out for you too?