Shelter's Longest Resident Finds Forever Home

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce might be the ones with new Super Bowl rings, but it was a different “Chief” who really had something to celebrate on Sunday night.

Chief, a 10-year-old Pit Bull Terrier mix, was the longest dog resident at Burlington County Animal Shelter, in New Jersey. According to a Facebook post, he was surrendered to the shelter in June 2021 and again in January 2022.

Chief underwent surgery to remove a mass from his leg, but didn’t let that slow him down. He was described as smart, playful and an energetic “ball of energy” despite his age.

But despite everything, and despite the shelter’s best efforts, he constantly struggled to find the right forever home.

But just like in sports, there’s always a chance for an underdog comeback — and that’s just what Chief got this month.

In honor of Super Bowl LVIII, Friends of Burlington County Animal Shelter decided to host a football-themed “Tail-gate Party” and open house where people could come and meet their dogs who are available for adoption and fostering. As part of the event, all adoption fees were waived on Sunday.

And as luck would have it, the shelter’s longest resident happened to share a name with one of the competing NFL teams, the Kansas City Chiefs. It was a sign that this could finally be the “touchdown” Chief had been waiting for for years.

“Chief may be partial to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVIII but he’d love to come home with a family of any NFL team,” Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Dan O’Connell said in a Facebook post. “He’s been a resident of the shelter for more than 740 days, so what we’re rooting for most on Sunday will be his adoption.”

It was at that Super Bowl event where Chief would find his perfect match.

According to FOX 29, 75-year-old Rose Ragone drove 42 miles to the tailgate event. While she had no intention of adopting a dog that day, she was feeling lonely, as her daughter was away at college and her husband died in 2016.

After arriving at the event, she was instantly smitten with Chief, and after learning his story she knew she had to give him the home he had long been waiting for.

Rose officially adopted Chief — a true miracle on Super Bowl Sunday.

“We want to thank Rose Marie and all the other residents who came to the shelter and adopted or stopped by to spend time with the animals,” Dan O’Connell said. “Events like Sunday’s Super Bowl Tailgate Party bring more visibility to our shelter and the amazing pets that reside there.”