A dog bouncing from home to home tried to line up at an adoption event with a potential family, but his happy ending has not come quite yet.

Matt and Mila, who run Nowlins Fostering, opened their doors in Virginia to host Habi, a 3-year-old shelter dog, until he found his forever home. Habi, short for Habanero, was born in September 2022 at SFC Virginia Animal Rescue in Spotsylvania, Virginia, as part of a litter of 10 puppies, they told Newsweek.

Habi received a taste of home life for about two years, growing up with a family that loved him, but hardships took over. The family lost their home. Not wanting to leave him at an animal shelter, they reached back out to SFC Virginia Animal Rescue for help. The rescue took him in, but he spent a year living in a kennel until a foster home became available, which turned out to be Nowlins Fostering.

“Since then, he has shown us just how special he is,” the couple said. “He has been a very good boy.”

Screenshots from a December 8 Instagram video of a foster dog lining up in hopes of being adopted during an event. | @thenowlins.fostering/Instagram

At 55 pounds, the rescue calls Habi a big dog with an even bigger heart. He is energetic, yet affectionate. Habi knows basic commands and is house-trained. Plus, he’s cat-friendly and can be submissive or neutral around other friendly dogs, which makes him an excellent option for families with other pets.

However, adoption rates have been slightly lower than in previous years. In the first half of 2025, about 1.9 million dogs and cats had been adopted. This is a one percent decrease compared to the same period the year prior, according to Shelter Animals Count. Dog adoptions have dipped, especially for larger and older canines.

While Habi is enjoying his foster home, it is not his forever, which is why Matt and Mila brought Habi to an adoption event in hopes he would meet a new family.

In a December 8 Instagram video, posted to the account @thenowlins.fostering, Habi fearlessly stood in line after noticing other dogs pairing off with their new owners at a recent adoption event. He patiently waited to be noticed, but no one turned around to acknowledge him.

Instagram users flooded the clip with comments, and as of Friday, the video reached over 906,000 views.

“Oh goodness. This broke my heart. What a good pup you are, sweet Habi,” said one viewer.

“Such a sweet boy. He just wants to find his forever family!” a commenter said.

“From that sweetness, the person who adopts him will be truly blessed!” another commenter wrote.

Since the video, Habi has received adoption applications. He is scheduled for a meet-and-greet this Saturday, and hopefully, his forever family will be ready to welcome him home.