Dog who has spent life in shelters hopes for forever home

FRANKFORT, Ill. — A dog who has spent his life in two shelters is looking for a forever home this holiday season.

Ryker, a four-year-old bull terrier mix, lives his life at Cache Creek Rescue, which operates inside Alsip Home and Nursery in Frankfort.

Anthoula Pena told WGN News her 6-year-old daughter Gianna’s only Christmas list wish is to help get him adopted. So, Pena, who sees Ryker every two weeks while buying dog food, posted on Facebook and hundreds of shares poured in.

“She said, ‘mommy I don’t want anything else on my list anymore,” Pena said. “‘I just want Ryker to get a home for Christmas.’”

They would adopt him if they could, but the shelter said Ryker needs a home without small children.

Ryker was found as a stray in Southern Illinois and came to Cache Creek Rescue when he was just eight months old after being in another shelter.

“He has been in a shelter his entire life,” Cache Creek Rescue manager Missy Ryerson said. “We don’t care about an adoption fee.”

In addition to being free, the shelter is providing a required in-home trainer to make sure Ryker adjusts to his new home.

“He knows basic commands,” Ryerson said. “We will be making sure they are doing the right things in the home and to give pointers.”

An issue that comes up is that Ryker is so used to Cache Creek due to being there for years.

“He wants to play, but doesn’t know how to play,” Ryerson said. “He is a 90-pound baby, he doesn’t know his own size.”

When asked who could be an ideal candidate to adopt Ryker, Ryerson said a quiet house with not a lot of people coming in or maybe a single person. He doesn’t do well with cats, but Ryerson said a big, older dog would work.

For more information on Ryker, call Cache Creek Rescue at 815-469-1044 or visit them inside the Frankfort Alsip Nursey, located at 20601 South La Grange Road.