7-year-old boy writes a sweet letter to foster pup's adopters: 'The best dog you could ask for'

Editor's note: This article was originally published on March 11, 2022. It has since been updated.

When it was time to part with his foster puppy, Maggie, Roman Duncan wanted to make sure her future forever family would know exactly how good a girl she is. The Louisiana boy—who turned 7—had formed a strong bond with the pit bull mix pup from North Shore Animal League America while his family fostered her over the holidays. Rescued as a young puppy, Maggie had been placed in the care of the Duncan family as a foster because she was too young to be adopted at the time.

Roman and his younger brother, Wyatt, quickly bonded with Maggie and helped the puppy during her formative months, helping her become comfortable with the home environment and learn basic obedience skills. According to PEOPLE, throughout the entire experience, their family made it clear to the boys that they were helping the former stray by giving her a temporary home and that another family would eventually adopt the pup when she was old enough. Still, Roman was sad to see her leave for North Shore Animal League America's shelter in Port Washington, New York when the time came. 

To help sort through his emotions, Roman wrote letters for her future adopters detailing all the reasons she's "the best dog you could ask for." From being cute and potty trained to loving fetch, other dogs, kids and cuddles, the letter explains how Maggie is the ultimate furry best friend. When it came time to load the pup onto her transport to New York, Roman slipped his letters and a few photos of Maggie into her paperwork.

Speaking to TODAY, Karla Agostinello—the rescue team manager for North Shore Animal League America—said she was pleasantly surprised when she opened Maggie's file and found the notes with adorable drawings. "I was so touched," she said. "It's hard (for fosters) to put the animals on the truck. So I do get a lot of letters from adults—but children, not many. So this is why it touched my heart so much." Maggie has since been adopted into a loving forever home and North Shore Animal League America made sure that they received Roman's letters about the young pup's cuteness, good manners and great personality.

"She’s doing great," Agostinello said. "Her time with [the Duncan] family was very beneficial to her." She is now working to connect Roman with Maggie's adopters so he can know what a wonderful job he did in helping save her life by fostering. North Shore Animal League America hopes that Roman's sweet letters and unforgettable experience raising a foster puppy will inspire other families to try fostering pets in the busy months ahead. Agostinello explained that there's always a need for fosters.

"Foster families are so important because they're the pet's first stop—the first family. They're instilling a foundation of love and care," she said. She added that Roman's parents did the "exact right thing" by making it clear to their boys that they were only housing Maggie temporarily. "You definitely have to set the expectation before you even bring the animal home: 'We're not keeping this animal, but we can do it again and you can love another animal,'" she said. "I always tell foster families, 'Goodbye is the goal.' They're doing so much good."