A dog whose ordeal broke the hearts of readers last year has finally found the forever home he always deserved.
Howie—a sweet-faced pup who was caught on camera being thrown from a moving truck in Los Angeles—has now been adopted and is thriving with a family who says they cannot imagine life without him.
Diane Singer and her husband, David, first learned about the pup, who is now named Howie, through the Newsweek article that told the story of his heartbreaking abandonment and subsequent time bouncing between foster homes.
“My husband, David, saw your article online and was haunted by the story,” Singer told Newsweek. “He kept talking about it, kept looking at the picture of Howie, and eventually made some calls to track him down.”
After several phone calls, David discovered Howie was being fostered in Escondido, California. Drawn in by the dog’s expression and his tragic journey, the couple decided they had to meet him.
“It’s that soulful face [that prompted us to meet him],” Singer said. “And of course, his story was so upsetting, and the fact that he was being passed from foster to foster, it broke our hearts. No one seemed to want him.”
In September last year, the couple drove to Escondido to meet Howie at a local dog park. The exchange, Singer said, was brief and emotionally overwhelming.
“The guy just gave him to us; he was nice enough, but he didn’t ask about our backgrounds, didn’t really ask any questions, just handed him over on a leash, with some treats,” she said. “The handoff lasted all of 15 minutes.”
As the foster drove away, Howie panicked.
“Poor Howie went nuts when the guy drove away,” Singer said. “He tried to escape the dog park, actually jumped the fence—he can really jump high, we call him a gazelle—and chased after the guy. We were hysterical. Poor Howie, dumped again.”
It took time, patience and love for Howie to fully settle in—especially with David.
“Howie wasn’t real keen on Dave at first, that’s for sure,” Singer said. “We surmise that men must have been mean to him because he growled at Dave for about two months.”
But slowly, trust grew, and today the bond is inseparable.
“Today, Howie and Dave are besties,” Singer said. “Howie goes with us between our homes in Anaheim Hills, California, and Lake Havasu City, Arizona. He sleeps with us, goes everywhere with us and loves our boat.”
Howie has also bonded with the family’s extended pack, including their son’s rescue dog, Panda.
“They are like kids—playing for hours—playing hard,” Singer said.
For the Singers—both retired, with decades of experience adopting rescue animals—Howie’s arrival felt destined.
“Our last dog, Louie, passed away,” Singer said. “We were heartbroken. So when Dave read your article about Howie, it was a match made in heaven.”
Now, the once-abandoned dog is safe, adored and living his best life.
“Howie is the best dog ever,” Singer said.