“A lot can happen in 12 years, but I felt like I let her down by not finding her a true forever home,” Aaron Foster tells PEOPLE

Twelve years ago, Aaron Foster was leaving an office building in Boulder, Colo., when he spotted a dog running loose through 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 tells PEOPLE exclusively.

The following day, he tracked down the dog’s owners with the assistance of a veterinarian, but Foster claims the couple didn’t want to take 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.

As a result, he decided to foster the then-1-year-old pup, Sadie, while determined to find her a loving family.

“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 shares. “So I knew I couldn’t keep her long term, but I wanted to be sure she found the best home.”

At the time, Foster’s father lived in Arizona and was involved with a dog search-and-rescue group, which referred him to a professional who specialized in training hunting dogs to detect bed bugs – a service in high demand and supported by strong references. Believing Sadie was a dog who thrived on constant activity, Foster felt this path would provide her with a purposeful 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 shares. “I finally did, or so I thought, in Arizona. I drove her there and everything seemed perfect – until a few days ago.”

@aaroncharlesfosterI wonder what she’s been up to…♬ Little Life – Robert Gromotka

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, claiming to have 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 that it was, in fact, Sadie, he immediately hopped on a plane from Reno, Nev., to pick her up. “I didn’t know anything except that I didn’t want her to be in the shelter any longer than necessary,” he shares.

According to The Animal Foundation, a food delivery driver found Sadie roaming alone near a Family Dollar store in early January and contacted the city’s Animal Protection Services, which transferred the dog into their care.

When Foster finally reunited with Sadie, it was clear she didn’t recognize him, yet she was still the same energetic, affectionate dog he remembered from years ago.

“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 shares. “Now she doesn’t like to leave my side at all.”

Foster admits he was heartbroken to learn that Sadie’s placement had not worked out. “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 that she is older, he recognizes it would be difficult for her to be adopted, so he has decided to welcome her into his family despite his constant traveling 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 tells PEOPLE. “Now Bodie has a sister!”