Lily’s eyes reflected the immense sadness that she felt on the day she was brought to Chicago Animal Care and Control.
The shy pup couldn’t understand what was going on and the noisy shelter environment made her feel even more confused and lost.
Prior to coming to the Chicago shelter, Lily lived with a backyard breeder and never knew what a loving home was like.
The staff felt brokenhearted for the sweet pup and hoped that her luck would change for the better.
Lily Meets Her Savior
Fortunately, Malinois and Dutch Shepherd Rescue (M.A.D) heard of Lily. They felt compelled to help her and pull her out of the shelter.
However, in order to rescue her, they needed to find her a foster, so they posted a call for help on their Facebook page.
The same day, while scrolling on Facebook, a kind woman and dog owner, Katie Markovic, came across their post, along with Lily’s photo.
The sweet puppy looked petrified and she broke Markovic’s heart.
The big-hearted woman adored the Malinois breed and knew that she had to help.
She went to the shelter, picked Lily up, and brought her to her home in Chicago.
During her first day, the puppy kept her tail tucked between her legs. She was timid and insecure.
Markovic took Lily to the vet where she was checked. Thankfully, she was given a clean bill of health.
Lily’s loving disposition began to emerge when she met Markovic’s kids. The puppy melted with love. She gently approached them and gave them a kiss.
The puppy quickly adapted to her new home. She made friends with the family’s Belgian Malinois named Hera and their Pit Bull mix.
Hera was extremely patient and loving toward the scared puppy. The two pups started spending more time together and Hera began teaching Lily how to be a dog.
The whole family was smitten with Lily.
The Pup Finds A Place To Call Home
Markovic shared her story on TikTok, hoping to encourage more people to foster shelter dogs, build their confidence, and increase their chances of finding a home.
She refers to her decision to foster Lily as “the best decision” she made in 2025 and hopes to foster more dogs in the future.
Lily’s story gained massive attention and moved many people.
An amazing family from Dickson, Tennessee, fell in love with her and decided to welcome her into their home.
It was extremely hard for the Markovic family to say goodbye to Lily.
Since they already had two dogs, they couldn’t keep her. The family wanted to continue fostering and knew that with three dogs, that would have been extremely difficult.
Lily’s story emphasizes the importance of fostering.
Thanks to her amazing foster family and the love they gave her, Lily’s fears vanished. She flourished into a confident and happy dog and started the happiest chapter of her life.
Huge thanks to Markovic and her family for opening their home to Lily and helping her find a loving home.