need to know
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In January 2014, Aaron Foster was living in Boulder, Colorado, when he spotted a dog wandering alone in a snowstorm
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After finding her owner and realizing they no longer wanted her, he decided to adopt her until another home could be found for her
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But 12 years later, he received a call from a shelter in Las Vegas claiming to have found the dog.
Twelve years ago, Aaron Foster was leaving an office building in Boulder, Colorado, when he spotted a dog running through a snowstorm.
“I coaxed her in, gave her some food, and kept her warm. She had a collar and a rabies tag, but no name or phone tag,” Foster tells PEOPLE exclusively.
The next day, he tracked down the dog’s owner with the help of a veterinarian, but Foster claimed the couple didn’t want to take her back.
“They said they lived in a small apartment and were working outside all day long, and she was just too much,” he recalled.
So he decided to adopt the then one-year-old puppy, Sadie, while determined to find her a loving family.
“I’ve decided to leave Boulder in a few months and will be moving every month for about a year or so,” he shared. “So I knew I couldn’t keep her long-term, but I wanted to make sure she found the best home.”
At the time, Foster’s father was living in Arizona and involved with a dog rescue group, which referred him to a professional who specialized in training hounds to detect bed bugs—a service that was in high demand and backed by strong references. Foster believed Sadie was a dog who thrived on constant activity, and he thought this path would provide her with a life of purpose.
“I had her spayed and minced, and I really fell in love with her, but I still had to find her a good home before I left,” Foster shared. “I finally did it, or so I thought, in Arizona. I drove her there and everything seemed perfect — until a few days ago.”
On January 7, 2026, 12 years after Foster first found Sadie, the 53-year-old received a call from the Las Vegas Animal Shelter Animal Foundation claiming that his dog had been found.
“I had no idea what they were talking about and even if they mentioned her name I didn’t think it was possible, that was a long time ago,” Foster said.
But once he confirmed it was indeed Sadie, he immediately jumped on a plane from Reno, Nevada to pick her up. “I didn’t know anything except that I didn’t want her to stay in the shelter any longer than necessary,” he shared.
According to the Animal Foundation, in early January, a food delivery driver spotted Sadie wandering alone near a Family Dollar store and contacted the city’s Animal Humane Services, who turned the dog into their care.
When Foster is finally reunited with Sadie, it’s clear she doesn’t recognize him, but she’s still the same energetic, affectionate dog he remembered from years ago.
“She seemed healthy but was very nervous when we met. She didn’t seem to remember me, but when we got into our hotel room the next day before our long drive back to Reno, she became very loving, funny and trusting of me,” he shared. “Now she doesn’t like leaving my side at all.”
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Aaron Foster
Bodie, Aaron Foster and Sadie.
Foster admits he was heartbroken when he learned Sadie’s placement didn’t work out. “I knew she was in good hands there, but I was heartbroken that I didn’t find the best place for her,” he said. “Or at least not someone who will be with her for the rest of her life.”
Now that she was older, he realized she would be difficult to adopt, so he decided to welcome her into his family, even though he traveled a lot as a stand-up comedian.
“She met my dog ​​Bodie, a 9-year-old lab mix I adopted in 2019, and they got along really well, so it was a deal — she came home,” Foster told People. “Now Bodie has a sister!”
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