Love doesn’t always arrive when or how you expect it. Sometimes, it shows up after heartbreak, in the middle of a sleepless night while scrolling through social media. For Collin and Jennifer Steeves, love arrived in the form of a big, lovable dog named Yota.
Yota, a six-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier, had been on quite the journey. She was first surrendered to the Nova Scotia SPCA Kings Shelter in April 2023. As shelter space shifted, she was transferred to the Dartmouth Shelter in June and adopted that August. But Yota’s story took another turn when she was returned to the shelter in November. By the end of December, she was back at the Kings Shelter, waiting again for her perfect family.
Like many large-breed dogs, Yota was a long-timer in the shelter system. Her big bark and even bigger personality sometimes made her seem intimidating, but those who took the time to know her quickly saw she was a softie with a big heart.
In January 2024, Yota’s story caught Jennifer’s eye. Grieving the recent loss of her mother and still mourning the passing of her two beloved Cane Corsos, Jennifer was scrolling Facebook during a sleepless night when she came across a video from the SPCA Kings Shelter featuring Yota. 
“I commented on the post and asked if she had found a home,” said Jennifer. “When I found out she hadn’t, I showed my husband her video and we both instantly knew she was meant for us and we had to go get her.”
Without hesitation, Jennifer and Collin made the drive from New Brunswick to Nova Scotia the very next day to meet Yota. They played fetch, and by the end of the visit, Yota happily jumped in their car and headed to her new forever home.
“She settled in right away,” said Jennifer. “When we first got home, she walked in and acted like she had always been there.”
Since then, Yota has been living her best life. She has a big voice and an even bigger heart, and she makes sure everyone knows when it’s playtime. She loves people, car rides, playing fetch and getting cozy while wrapped in a blanket.
“She loves smelling flowers and basking in the sun outside,” Jennifer added. “But her favourite thing of all might be ice cream. She enjoys nothing more than going for a drive to Dairy Queen for a pup cup.”
Yota is the first dog that Jennifer and Collin adopted from a shelter. “We don’t regret it for a second,” said Jennifer. “She’s brought so much love and light into our home. We absolutely recommend adoption to anyone considering it. There are so many dogs out there who need loving homes.”
Looking back, Jennifer and Collin believe Yota was meant to find them. “We didn’t know her full story when we adopted her and that she had been surrendered twice and moved between shelters. But now, knowing everything she’s been through, we feel even more grateful that she’s finally home. I truly believe she was meant to find us, and us her.”
Yota’s story is a reminder that sometimes, love finds you when you least expect it and that a second (or third) chance can change everything.