One morning, Graham’s mother walked out onto the farm’s screened porch and noticed that the screen on the door had been completely ripped out. She thought that was strange — and then she realized there was a dog on the porch, just hanging out.

The dog, later named Randy, was clearly looking for help but wasn’t quite sure how to ask for it, so he broke into the rescue. When he saw Graham’s mother, though, he got scared and changed his mind.

“He ran off, but came back a few hours later when I was outside with my own dogs,” Graham told The Dodo. “I was honestly a little alarmed at first because I wasn’t sure if he was friendly, and I had some of my little paralyzed Chihuahuas outside with me at the time. I chased him off so I could get my dogs inside and closed the gate to my property. By the time I had gotten my dogs inside, Randy had already dug underneath my gate and had returned to my property!”

Even though he was a little nervous, Randy somehow knew that the rescue was where he needed to be to get the help he needed, so he came back, and this time, he stayed.

“As soon as I put Randy on a leash, it became very apparent that he had a wonderful disposition,” Graham said. “He didn’t seem to understand affection or belly rubs, but would press his body up against me anytime I would pet him. I never once heard him bark — he was so calm!”

Graham quickly recognized Randy and realized she’d seen him running around near the farm before. She assumed he belonged to someone because he appeared to have a collar on, but when she saw him getting into neighbors’ garbage cans, she wondered who he actually belonged to and started asking around about it. Once she had Randy safely in her care, she took him to different houses nearby, knocking on doors and asking if he belonged to anyone. When no one claimed him, she put up flyers around her neighborhood. She had a feeling he didn’t have a family but wanted to take all of the steps she could, just in case.

Poor Randy was covered in fleas and had some injuries that needed addressing when he showed up at the rescue. Graham took him to the vet, where he got the care he needed and was also scanned for a microchip. When Graham saw he didn’t have one, she quickly set about trying to find him the best home. She couldn’t keep him herself, but luckily, she knew people who could help.

“I filed a found dog report with the local sheriff’s office and animal control, and I also posted Randy on my rescue’s social media, but no one ever claimed him,” Graham said. “I’m currently in the process of building a ‘tiny house village’ at my farm to house my rescue animals, and I truly did not have room for another dog when Randy showed up. Luckily, one of my foster moms offered to take him in for me. He has absolutely fallen in love with his foster mom, and she has expressed interest in adopting him when his hold period is over.”

Randy had been on his own for so long, looking for someone to take him in and love him — and somehow, he knew that The Isle of Misfits Farm Sanctuary was the right place for him to go to find help. And, of course, he was absolutely right.

“I don’t know how Randy found my house or why he was so insistent on returning, but I am so glad he did,” Graham said. “He is now being spoiled daily in his foster-to-adopt home, and I couldn’t be happier for him. He is the sweetest dog and deserves a loving home that will cherish him forever.”