Abandoned Dog Finally Gets Adopted After Spending 2,000 Days at an Animal Shelter

(Courtesy of Mission Driven)

An animal shelter in Kansas City took more than five years to help their longest resident dog find a forever home. After numerous efforts, which included social media campaigns, large billboards featuring the puppy, countless people in the community promoting and searching day and night, they finally succeeded.

Merrick, a 6-year-old pup, was brought to the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City after he was found abandoned by his former owners at a garage sale at about 5 months old, with a giant abscess on the left side of his face. According to Pet Finder website, Merrick’s condition was left untreated for months, which resulted in the abscess growing to a “horrible size.”

(Courtesy of Mission Driven)

After corrective surgery, Merrick made a full recovery and the staff at the animal shelter were keen to get him adopted. However, despite the staff finding ways to get the bull terrier and blue heeler mix adopted, it never seemed to be that successful.

That was until Scott Poore, the founder of Mission Driven, a brand that brings awareness to all shelter pets and states the importance of adoption, stepped in to lend a helping hand.

(Courtesy of Mission Driven)

“Nobody’s been homeless longer than Merrick, which is why I was drawn to him and why I’ve been helping him for such a long time,” Poore told Fox4.

Poore, who had previously moved into an animal shelter to help another dog find a forever home, was determined to help Merrick and finally came up with a unique way to broadcast Merrick’s adoption to the locals.

(Courtesy of Mission Driven)

“The Humane Society and Mission Driven, we’ve tried so many ways to get him adopted,” Poore told 41 Action News. “We just reached a point where we were like, ‘Wow, what else is there to do?’ I was at home one night thinking, ‘I can’t give up on this animal,’ and I thought about a billboard.”

Poore hoped that those who didn’t follow Humane Society or social media posts of Merrick would be given an opportunity to be introduced to the sweet dog. They were also looking for someone who didn’t have kids and had the energy to keep up with the large dog.

To purchase a billboard, Poore raised funds through a GoFundMe page, and his efforts finally paid off after some time—a man named Jordan Nussbaum chanced upon the billboard according to KMBC.

(Courtesy of Mission Driven)

Nussbaum, who said that “it was love at first sight,” knew that Merrick was the dog for him.

“I saw the billboard and from that point on I told my girlfriend about him,” Nussbaum added. “It breaks my heart that he sat there, but I think that it was destined that he wait there that long until I was ready for another dog.”

(Courtesy of Mission Driven)

Once Merrick’s adoption formalities were completed, the animal shelter organized a celebration to bid farewell to their longest and beloved resident at the shelter. Those who attended the celebration included staff and volunteers of the shelter. Poore was also present to send Merrick off to his new home.

“I can’t even tell you, emotions are so heavy today,” Poore told Fox4. “I’ve helped hundreds of dogs find homes, but none of them mean as much as helping Merrick.”

(Courtesy of Mission Driven)

(Courtesy of Mission Driven)

Since adopting Merrick, Nussbaum and his girlfriend, Amy, have set up a Facebook page, “Merrick the Rescue Pup,” to update the pup’s fans on his daily life, which ranges from playing at home to venturing out to new places.

Merrick has definitely come a long way and is finally living his best life.