The moment Doug and Michelle Christian heard about a skinny Malinois mix named Mary, they didn’t hesitate to offer her a temporary foster home.
Already parents to two dogs—both adopted from fostering—they were determined that Mary’s stay would be brief and that she would soon find her forever home.
“‘Doug said, ‘Listen, we’ll foster her, but it’s just going to be a foster,’” Terri Fox, founder of Foxy and the Hounds, shared with The Dodo recently.
The Surprise Adoption That Changed Everything
To their surprise, Mary fit right in with her two dog siblings. Doug kept his distance, but the rest of the family felt like she had been a part of their home all along.
“I pretended I was keeping emotionally distanced,” Doug admitted to The Dodo. “But all I really wanted was to adopt this dog.”
Within weeks, Mary became an irreplaceable member of the Christian family. Before long, Doug, Michelle, and their children were completely smitten with her.
A Christmas Surprise and the Start of Forever
Doug started dropping subtle hints about adopting Mary, but little did he know Michelle had already planned it with Fox.
“She texted me, ‘Doug loves Mary, and Mary loves Doug,’” Fox recalled. “‘I’d like to surprise him for Christmas.’”
When Michelle received confirmation that Mary was officially theirs, she carefully wrapped Mary’s adoption papers and new ID tag in a red box. She placed the surprise under the tree, labeled “Doug.”
On Christmas morning, Doug’s face filled with emotion as he opened the gift.
“As soon as I saw the adoption papers folded over with the tag that was customized with her name on it, I just came apart,” Doug recalled. “It’s the only thing that I really wanted for Christmas.”
Tears flowed as Doug held Mary in a joyful hug. Their bond had been undeniable from the start, and he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her.
It’s been a couple of years since that unforgettable adoption, and Mary’s happiness has only grown.
When she’s not enjoying pup cups with her siblings, Mary can be found snuggled up with her favorite humans.
Once a neglected shelter dog, Mary now has a family to call her own. And Fox is overjoyed for her.
“I know Mary is living her best life,” Fox said. “Mary got her merry, merry Christmas.”