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Senior Dog With Teddy Bear Face Finally Finds Forever Home After Being Returned To Shelter 7 Times

There is a paradox that senior animals that always need a comfy, snug home are those who struggle most to find a forever family. In many circumstances, they have to pass through a number of houses before they finally get to a permanent home. For Martin, a lovely 10-year-old dog with a teddy bear face, it takes him 7 times of being returned until he eventually settles down.

Source: SPCA OF WAKE COUNTY

Martin was brought to SPCA of Wake County since his dad wasn’t able to take good care of him anymore. “His [dad] was 89 years old and reached a point where he couldn’t provide the life that he felt Martin deserved,” Samantha Ranlet, marketing communications specialist at SPCA, shared. “He wanted a better life for him.”
Though it was sad to separate from the adorable furry baby, Martin’s dad hoped the pup could find a better home to live his golden years comfortably. “He adjusted pretty well,” Ranlet said. “I don’t know if he understood what was going on, but even from day one, he was just this happy, easy-going, really sweet old man with a teddy bear face.”

Source: SPCA OF WAKE COUNTY

However, Martin’s age is an obstacle to his prospect of finding a new home. Another issue is that he has heartworm positive, which makes potential adopters worry. “He kept getting passed over again and again,” Ranlet said. “In two months, seven adoptions fell through for various reasons.”
It was awful to see this lovely pup being returned again and again, so SPCA was determined to seek help from the online community. “We reached a point where we thought, ‘We have to use the internet to ask our community to help us share him and get him into a home,’” Ranlet explained.

Source: SPCA OF WAKE COUNTY

As you might guess, Martin’s story and his adorable pictures became famous and were shared by lots of netizens. The viral post did its job, and adoption applications for the old buddy were maxed out within 2 days.  
“[Posting on Facebook] made all of the difference,” Ranlet said. “His post was shared by thousands of people, and all of the sudden, we had people contacting us over the phone, by email, etcetera.”

Among all the potential adopters, a couple who used to raise senior dogs seemed perfect for Martin. “They weren’t afraid of his age and they weren’t afraid of the fact that he had heartworm disease,” Ranlet added. “They just fell in love with him and his teddy bear energy.”
Martin has been living with the couple for a few weeks, and he will officially become their family member after finishing his treatment for the heartworm problem at SPCA. “As soon as he completes his treatment, they’re going to make the adoption official,” Ranlet said. “He’s got another month or two ahead of him.”

Source: SPCA OF WAKE COUNTY

Martin enjoys his new life with a younger cat sister called Hilltop. While everyone at SPCA misses the senior pup, they feel happy when he has found a sweet home after all the adversities. The shelter hopes Martin’s story will encourage people to notice older dogs and give them a chance to have beautiful moments during their final years. “It’s nice to give more attention to senior dogs,” Ranlet said. “It helps remind people that they’re worthwhile to adopt, too.”
What do you think about this story? Do you want to adopt a senior animal if possible? Please drop your comments in the segment below, and don’t forget to follow our site for more cool ideas and news!
 
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