1,342 Days Later, Longtime Rescue Dog Adopted In Time For Christmas

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Ryker first arrived at Cache Creek Rescue—housed at Alsip Home and Nursery, 20601 S. La Grange Road in Frankfort—on April 9, 2020. He was just several months old at the time, entered into an environment that can cause most dogs to be a bit stressed. Ryker, though, seemed unfazed by what can be a noisy, sometimes chaotic setting. The chonky boy would easily flash a grin, showing off his chompers.

The mostly white dog with a tan patch over one eye and erect ears came to Cache Creek from a shelter in southern Illinois, Cache Creek Manager Missy Ryerson, previously told Patch. Ryker’s presence and calm demeanor around Alsip Home and Nursery endeared him to staff, and his stardom started to precede him. So many who heard his story wish he would find a family. Finding the right fit, though, had consistently proved challenging. The big guy is typically shy around new people—it takes him a while to warm up.

But then he met the Widstrand family.

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“He’s never gone up to strangers like he did with them,” Ryerson said.

New Lenox residents Carie and Mark Widstrand with daughters Ashley, 15, and Amanda, 17, decided to visit Alsip Nursery in late November. Their longtime German shepherd had died in March, and their hearts were finally beginning to open to the possibility of another joining the family. They had adopted one of their current dogs from Cache Creek, as well. As they browsed, Mark recognized Ryker.

“‘This dog has been here for three years!'” Carie recalled Mark saying.

Ryker was quiet and calm, relaxed and sleeping on the floor of his room. There was no one available to fill out paperwork that day, Carie said, so they decided to return as soon as it opened the next, with their Jack Russell terrier mix and Cavalier King Charles spaniel in tow, to meet their potential new brother.

“He (Ryker) was very comfortable with our dogs and daughters,” Carie said. “He was being very calm and sweet with my husband.”

Ryerson joked Ashley and Amanda might have done the trick for Ryker.

“He’s a ladies’ man,” she joked, noting that so many of the volunteers over his years there have been young women. “He likes the young girls.”

The brood went on a walk behind the building, and all went beautifully, Carie said.

“‘I think these are his people!'” Carie said a staffer commented after seeing their walk.

With such high hopes of finding the right fit, Ryerson said they agreed to let the family foster him for a month. They were a bit apprehensive things wouldn’t go well—other instances hadn’t worked out—but decided Ryker, and the family, deserved a chance.

“‘What do we got to lose?'” Ryerson said they pondered. Cache Creek drove him to their home to begin the foster period, and it was pretty clear Ryker had made up his mind.

“He walked in without a backward glance,” she said. He had never done that before.

The family sent updates throughout the month—photos and notes about how Ryker was doing.

“They gave me updates constantly,” Ryerson said. “We all just in our group text said, ‘he’s finally found his people’—everything they were reporting back to us was such good news.”

I think this is it, Ryerson remembers thinking. I really do.

For the Widstrands, Ryker melded into their family—and laps—like he’d been there for years. He’s been known to splay across the family as they all cuddle on the couch. He loves going for walks, investigating the backyard, watching TV and chewing up his toys.

“They wanted the best situation for Ryker,” Carie said of the foster period. “From that moment on, he has been the biggest snuggle bug.”

“We take all three for walks—they’re just a happy little group, they play in the backyard, it’s just adorable.”

Carie was quick to praise the care and attention he’d received at Cache Creek.

“Cache Creek has been wonderful—he’s such a lovable dog,” she said. “They’ve spent almost four years loving him. We didn’t get him until he was so much older.

“They gave him so much love, he’s so well-adjusted and happy. That’s just a huge testament to what wonderful people they are.”

The family and Ryerson planned a chance for those who’ve loved him to see him off. More than a dozen gathered for snuggles and snacks before Ryker headed off to his first Christmas in his forever home. The Cache Creek crew jumped at the chance, with 16 people attending his send-off.

“It meant a lot that we all got to say goodbye—we’re his family, too,” Ryerson said.

She knows people must have thought that Ryker was unhappy at the shelter, but that was never the case, she said. He had grown comfortable there and was attached to the staff. They were very discerning on who would become his family.

But ultimately, Ryker made the call himself.

“He definitely picked them,” Ryerson said. “He finally decided that he wasn’t happy there anymore. I guess he was ready to go.”

Though they’ll miss him a bit, they’re ecstatic at the outcome.

“It was so weird walking by his cage that he’s had for almost four years, and not seeing him there,” Ryerson said. “I don’t think anyone’s sad that he’s gone, because we’re all so happy that he’s gone.

“… It was a really good Christmas. It was finally his Christmas.”

Happy tears shed as his new life begins.

“Be a good boy, Ryker, you deserve this so much!” Ryerson wrote on social media. ” I’m so happy to delete his picture from the available animals album!”

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