CERTAIN FROM THE START

"We were so positive she belonged with us."

— Mattho Mandersloot

Sometimes, you simply know.

In 2022, Mattho Mandersloot and his partner were visiting Jacksonville Humane Society when they met Soju for the first time. The young beagle mix immediately captured their attention, and before long, they were convinced she belonged with them.

They were so certain, in fact, that one of them awkwardly stood guard in front of Soju's kennel while the other made a beeline to the adoption desk to begin the adoption process.

There was just one small challenge.

They didn't even have a car to take her home and would need to ask a friend for help with a ride.

None of that mattered.

They knew Soju was coming home with them.

Only later did they learn another remarkable part of her story. At just a year and a half old, Soju had already been a mother. On the very same day she was adopted, each of her puppies found families of their own.

One extraordinary day changed the lives of an entire family.

Today, Soju enjoys long hikes, trips to the beach, bananas, and keeping watch over squirrels and the occasional raccoon. She's proudly trilingual, responding to commands in English, Dutch, and Spanish.

Like many first-time pet parents, Mattho and his partner learned a few lessons along the way. One night, Soju discovered the storage closet was full of kibble and enthusiastically helped herself, giving her new pawrents quite the scare.

They still hope that someday they'll have the chance to meet some of the families who gave Soju's puppies forever homes.

Until then, they're simply grateful that one extraordinary day rewrote all of their lives.