Nobody wanted to adopt Bear. The dog, continually overlooked, had spent two-and-a-half years alone in a kennel, and shelter staff were growing increasingly anxious to find him a permanent home.
“We’ve been advertizing him on the internet for months and months,” the shelter manager explained, “and we just can’t find the right home for him.”
“He loves kids,” LaBonty continued, “he loves men and women. He’s very playful, and he loves to cuddle and get belly rubs. He knows his basic commands.”
Bear didn’t, however, get along well with other animals.
“Our goal is to find him a home with no other pets, but that’s hard to do,” LaBonty said. “We’ve taken him to hundreds of adoption events over the years, and he just gets overlooked every time.”
Bear had endured three heartbreaking false starts. A family with kids who lived in a country home with a fenced yard once expressed interest. Shelter workers drove Bear three hours to meet his potential adopters, but when they arrived, the family changed their minds.
“The kids decided that they didn’t want him,” LaBonty said. “They wanted a different dog.” According to the shelter manager, Bear was confused and depressed by the rejection. “He didn’t want to go back into the car to go back home,” she said.
In April of 2017, shelter staff took Bear, along with several other dogs, to the Bissell Pet Foundation’s annual “Empty the Shelter” event in Michigan. Every single animal from DAWG was adopted that day. Except Bear.
“It looks like Bear has left the dawghous,” they wrote. “He has a huge yard to run and will be spoiled by his new mom and dad. He even has a trainer lined up who is donating his services to help Bear and his family adjust.”
“Tears from all who have loved and cared for Bear all this time,” the shelter added. “Thank you for giving him the chance he needs.”