Heartbreaking Photo of the Only Dog Left at the Shelter Goes Viral, and Lands Him a New Family

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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.

“All of our shelter dogs that had been in a kennel for quite some time got adopted, except one little poor dog, and his name is Bear,” Detroit Animal Welfare Group (DAWG) staffer Kelley LaBonty told WXYZ in June 2017.

“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.”

Bear, thought to be a Rhodesian ridgeback pit bull mix, came into the care of DAWG in Romeo, Michigan, after being picked up as a 7-month-old stray in neighboring Flint. “He was very emaciated,” LaBonty told The Dodo. “He stayed in foster care for a while, but then the foster had family who moved in, and they couldn’t keep him anymore.”

“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.

LaBonty took a picture of the defeated pup sitting alone in his kennel after the event and posted it on Facebook. “Well here he is again,” she wrote. “Poor Bear. Last dog in the shelter is still here.” The post went viral and hundreds of offers to adopt Bear poured in.

One offer seemed to be serious; a woman filled out an adoption application, but she never showed up for the scheduled meet-and-greet. “He is depressed in the kennel,” LaBonty shared with The Dodo. “Mostly he just lays on his bed with his head down.”

But finally, for the patient pup that had held on for two-and-a-half years for the right home, the wait was over. DAWG posted the announcement on their Facebook page on June 24, 2017, calling it “the moment we have all been waiting for.”

“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.”