‘We’re not all so different at the end of the day’ July 23, 2025

“I adopted my dog Finnegan (NHS Suny) six years ago prior to my time working at the Nebraska Humane Society. I was going through a tough season in my life, was living on my own and knew I needed a buddy to help get me outside and not lay around all day, since it wasn’t good for my mental health.

I visited NHS twice to meet with dogs, but I didn’t feel a connection with them, so I would go home disappointed. I knew my dog was out there somewhere, and I would know when it was the right one.

Lo and behold, a few days after my previous attempt, I was scrolling through the available dogs online and saw the sweetest, but scared looking white and brown Australian Shepherd named Suny and knew I had to go see him. I immediately grabbed my keys and drove to NHS right after opening and practically ran up to the front desk to ask to meet with him. The staff member doing the adoption didn’t have too much information they could give me regarding his history, but said he was most likely kept outside and had wounds that showed potential abuse and neglect. Due to this, Finnegan was a diamond dog (dogs who need more support in the shelter due to fear, stress or general reactivity). I told them that I didn’t mind any of the issues he had because I too knew what that was like; I already knew then that we were kindred spirits trying to find one another.

They brought him in, and when we locked eyes (after he went to the bathroom on one of the walls lol), he immediately came up to me and tried to get on my lap.I knew he was mine. We KNEW each other, somehow, as cheesy as that sounds. I adopted him right then and there and brought him home to start our lives together.

I wish I could say it was all sunshine and roses from there, but Finn DID struggle the first months and even the year following. He had reactivity towards men and was terrified of anyone but me. We worked through the issues at dog training facilities and after that first year with a lot of tears shed here and there, he gained so much confidence and trust in not only people, but himself. I don’t even recognize the sweet, scared dog he was before. I didn’t even realize until much later that I didn’t recognize myself after as well.

Through him and bonding with him, I was also training myself to be more confident and know it’s okay to advocate and place boundaries when needed, just like what Finnegan needs. He has been my absolute rock for the past six years and continues to amaze me every day. My friends and family always say, “When you see Kellen, you know that Finn is not too far behind.”

He is my constant shadow and best friend, and I don’t know where I would be without him.

Finnegan is now eight years old and thriving. He is so gentle toward my 10 nieces and nephews, and he’s always invited to family events. When we’re not playing outside, you can find us snuggling together right where we started when we were two lost souls trying to just get through the day. I hope our story can help others know that if you adopt a shelter dog who has behavioral needs to not turn them away. It might not be easy in the beginning, but there will be so much good that comes out of it if you just give them a chance to show their true selves. They need a special person to advocate and support them, much like us humans do because we’re not all so different at the end of the day.”

-Kellen

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