COLUMBUS, Ohio — Meg Werner has been the executive director at the Humane Society of Madison County for three years, and that is also how long a resident dog, Seely, has been waiting for her forever family to bring her home.

“Basically because of her front legs, she reminded us of a baby seal,” Werner described Seely’s name. “It was a congenital deformity and there were different things we could try.”

Since March 28, 2018, Seely has waited more than 1,000 days to be adopted since she was rescued as a two-month-old puppy.

“We’re very committed to her, I mean, she came to us when she was two months old,” Werner said. “And her person, her family, is out there. We just have to find that person.”

The three-year-old pitbull-boxer mix is armed with kisses.

She was found in a ditch in the pouring rain by a good Samaritan. For 1,000 days, Werner has led the initiative to give this unique girl the best chance at life.

“She gets a lot of special attention. In the summertime, there is a volunteer who takes her to McDonald’s for hamburgers.”

Seely became part of Werner’s executive director “initiation,” of learning how to gain community support and how to fundraise.

The community rallied behind the sweet pup for a surgery, which in the end wasn’t the best fit for her. So they switched to the path of getting her a custom wheelchair.

Dedicated staff members and volunteers train her, take her to her specialty appointments, and spoil her so that, despite waiting three years to find a family of her own, Seely knows she’s loved.

“Even though she was born with a disability, she hasn’t let that slow her down,” Werner said. “She plays and she loves and sometimes I think she loves even harder because she’s had so many people rooting for her.”

Werner said Seely will need a special home. No cats or really young children or babies. Seely is also dog selective.

While Werner and the staff will miss her smile and spirit, she said it would be the highlight of her tenure to get Seely a home.