Rescue Dog Who Endured 3 Failed Adoptions Finds Loving Forever Home with Familiar Faces (Exclusive)

Muddy Paws Rescue dog Sadie found a home in May with the foster family who helped raise her

• Muddy Paws Rescue started caring for Sadie the dog in 2021

• Sadie went through three failed adoptions before she found her forever family

• The dog's new owners, the GenilChin family, were the dog's foster parents in between each of Sadie's adoptions

For rescue dog Sadie, the fourth time was the charm.

The four-year-old pup arrived via Kentucky at Muddy Paws Rescue, a foster-based dog rescue in New York City, in 2021. The frightened pup searching for a gentle friend had several fosters but spent the most time with Lizyle GenilChin and her family. The GenilChins helped the canine through three failed adoptions and ensured the fourth stuck.

Lizyle tells PEOPLE she first met the dog in November 2021, when she and her husband, Esmond GenilChin, went to pick up the pup from another Muddy Paws foster, who found their residence too hectic for Sadie's comfort.

"She was so scared. She was in her crate because that's her safe space. When they tried to get her out, she peed. Eventually, we got her in the car," Lizyle remembers, adding, "She wasn't walking at that point. She was too scared."

Lizyle and Esmond brought Sadie to their home, which they shared with their two daughters and dog Buko. The family, especially Buko and Lizyle, worked together to get Sadie out of her shell.

The dog's foster family focused on getting Sadie comfortable with leashed walks and plenty of playtime, which Buko provided.

"She was scared of the leash. As soon as I took it out, she would go into her crate or cower. So we spent time in our backyard. She loved the backyard," Lizyle says.

Gradually, Lizyle got Sadie comfortable with the leash thanks to an industry secret: "Lots of treats whenever she was wearing the leash or seeing the leash."

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In April 2022, Sadie was adopted by a woman and her son but returned to foster care a week later after her new family was "not happy," according to Lizyle.

The GenilChins kept Sadie's mind off the switch by occupying her with a summer of hiking, bonding, and making new friends.

In January of 2023, Sadie got a second shot at a forever home after she was adopted again. The dog's new owners lived in an "idyllic" location and adored Sadie. Unfortunately, the pet parents found they couldn't care for Sadie like they thought and returned her to Muddy Paws in April 2023. Once again, Sadie was placed with the GenilChins.

"She hung out with us from April to October and we just kept training," Lizyle says.

In October, a third family adopted Sadie. Once again, unfortunate circumstances got in the way, and the pup's new owners found that they couldn't care for the canine.

Despite her best efforts, Sadie ended up at the GenilChin family's house for a fourth time.

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"Sadie has been loved by so many people, which is what I love. You can see it," Lizyle says of the fans the dog has made during her adoption journey.

Back with Sadie again, the GenilChins decided to make the dog's place in their family official, and adopted her in May.

"Every time from the beginning, we're always like, 'Should we? Should we? Should we?' Lizyle says about adopting Sadie. But the family held off until May because of their dog Buko.

"We had our dog, and we wanted to keep fostering. If we kept her, I don't think I could have handled three dogs," Lizyle says about their early opportunities to adopt Sadie.

While Sadie was at her third home, Buko died. The heartbreaking loss also allowed the GenilChins to adopt Sadie and continue fostering with Muddy Paws.

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Unsurprisingly, Sadie has quickly adapted to adopted life with some of her favorite familiar faces, a far cry from the scared dog the GenilChins first met.

"She has done a 720, this dog," Lizyle says, adding, "For a dog that was so scared of the leash, she loves to go out now, loves it."

Sadie also adores sunbathing in the backyard, finding new smells, and practicing her basic commands.

Esmond notes that Sadie "was allowed to blossom" because so many people, especially Lizyle, donated time to the dog.

"The work that she poured into making her come out of her shell and be bold enough and confident enough to show love to others is reflective of what Lizyle put into her," he says.

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Lizyle hopes her experience inspires others to foster rescue animals with their families.

"We're a family of four. The kids are scheduled up, we're working parents. It was nice to bring another energy into the house that broke up the routine and the monotony," she says, adding, "It added another dimension to our togetherness, which was really nice. That's what's close to my heart about fostering."

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