It’s an unfortunate fact that many dogs wait far too long to find forever homes. Some pups spend weeks, months, and even years in shelters watching potential parents size them up and pass them by. This is especially true if the canine in question is older. But the wait is over for one senior rescue dog who has found his forever home after seven years in a North Carolina shelter.
Senior Rescue Dog Waits 7 Years for Forever Home
Mitch is a 12-year-old Treeing Walker Coonhound who lived at the Jackson County shelter for almost a decade – the longest-term resident of the shelter to date. The stray canine came to the facility after being found “emaciated and high-strung,” according to Jodi Henkel, assistant shelter manager. People reports that Mitch “mellowed out” after receiving care and attention from shelter staff, but his age proved to be a hurdle in finding him a family.
“For some reason, people look at hound dogs and don’t see them as pets, age, breed,” Henkel told ABC 13 News. “We like to see every dog have a chance because they all deserve it.”
Mitch’s story was recently shared on TikTok by the Cashiers-Highland Humane Society. A woman named Teresa Shular saw it, and it touched her heart.
@ch_humanesociety Mitch is our longest term resident, and we’re all hoping this sweet boy finds a warm safe home to spend his senior years in. If you think you might be Mitch’s forever human we hope you give us a call. #animalshelter #northcarolina #dog #adoptabledogs #adoptadog #seniordog #animaladoption ♬ Emotional Piano Instrumental In E Minor – Tom Bailey Backing Tracks
“I cried when I watched it the first time,” she told ABC 13 News. “I cried when I watched it the second time. I thought about it and prayed about it for a few days.”
Shular and her husband ultimately pursued adoption of the pup.
“Couldn’t get up there fast enough to get him,” Shular said.
Senior Dogs Deserve Homes, Too
Some people were critical of the Shular’s choice to adopt a senior dog, but Shular is adamant that Mitch belongs at home with the couple.
“I’ve had it said to me by several people, ‘Why would you go get a dog that age just for it to die on you?’ And I said, ‘So he can have a home beforehand,'” Shular said. “It’s not about me; it’s about Mitch. He needed a home, and thankfully we can provide that for him.”
Mitch is now home with the couple, and is enjoying strolling the large grounds and lying on the porch.
David Stroud, the director of Cashiers-Highland Humane Society, said that Mitch’s story has something to teach everyone about resilience, persistence, and hope.
“I believe that if Mitch has a message for all of us, it’s just that: never give up,” he told the local news station.
Here’s to many more happy years for Mitch!
