Man Finds Home for Dog Lost in Snowstorm. 12 Years Later, He Gets a Heartbreaking Call from Shelter 450 Miles Away

Twelve years ago, Aaron Foster was leaving an office building in Boulder, Colorado, when he spotted a dog running loose in a snowstorm.

“I coaxed her inside, gave her some food and warmed her up. She had a collar and a rabies tag, but no name or phone tag,” Foster says.

The next day, with help from a veterinarian, Foster tracked down the dog’s owners — but he says the couple didn’t want her back.

“They said they lived in a small apartment, and both worked away from home all day, and she was just too much,” he recalls.

So Foster decided to temporarily take in the then 1-year-old pup, Sadie, determined to find her a loving family. At the time, he was preparing to leave Boulder and expected to be on the move for about a year.

“I was already committed to leaving Boulder in a few months and was going to be moving around every month or so for about a year,” he says. “So I knew I couldn’t keep her long term, but I wanted to be sure she found the best home.”

Foster’s father, who lived in Arizona, was connected to a dog search-and-rescue group. Through that network, Foster learned about a professional who trained hunting dogs to detect bed bugs — work that was in demand and came with strong recommendations. Believing Sadie was the type of dog who needed constant activity and purpose, he hoped that path would give her a stable, meaningful life.

“I had her spayed and chipped, and really fell in love with her, but I still had to find her a good home before I left,” Foster says. “I finally did, or so I thought, in Arizona. I drove her there and everything seemed perfect – until a few days ago.”

On Jan. 7, 2026 — exactly 12 years after Foster first found Sadie — the 53-year-old received a call from The Animal Foundation, a shelter in Las Vegas. The person on the line said they had his dog.

“I had no idea what they were talking about, even when they said her name, I thought it can’t be, it was so long ago,” Foster says.

But after confirming the dog really was Sadie, he booked a flight from Reno, Nevada, to pick her up right away.

“I didn’t know anything except that I didn’t want her to be in the shelter any longer than necessary,” he says.

The Animal Foundation said a food delivery driver found Sadie roaming alone near a Family Dollar store in early January and contacted the city’s Animal Protection Services. The dog was then transferred into the shelter’s care.

When Foster finally reunited with Sadie, it was clear she didn’t recognize him at first. Still, he says, her personality felt familiar.

“She seems healthy, but was very nervous when we met. She did not seem to remember me, but as soon as we got into a hotel room before our long drive back to Reno the next day, she became very loving, playful and trusting of me,” he says. “Now she doesn’t like to leave my side at all.”

Foster says he was crushed to learn that Sadie’s placement years ago hadn’t lasted.

“I know she was in good hands there, but it just broke my heart to know that I didn’t find the best place for her,” he says. “Or at least not one that lasted her whole life.”

Now older and likely harder to adopt out, Sadie has a permanent place with Foster — even as he continues traveling for work as a stand-up comedian.

“She met my dog Bodie, a 9-year-old lab mix that I adopted back in 2019, and they get along great already, so that sealed the deal – she’s home,” Foster says. “Now Bodie has a sister!”