Shelter Dog That Held Hands With Anyone Passing By His Kennel Is Now Adopted

Shelter Dog That Held Hands With Anyone Passing By His Kennel Is Now Adopted
(Courtesy of Desiray Miracle-Wilder)
Epoch Inspired Staff
6/29/2020
Updated:
7/29/2020

Speck, the lovable shelter dog that became an internet sensation for holding hands with everyone who passed by his kennel, has won himself a forever home.

The adorable canine, understandably sad stuck at the shelter, ensured that no one could go past his kennel without stopping to say hello and holding hands with him in a moment of tender pet love. The then-resident of the Bullock County Humane Society dog shelter was one doggo that truly enjoyed human company; even if this meant reaching out from the mesh of his kennel to attract attention.

(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/desiray.wilder">Desiray Miracle-Wilder</a>)
(Courtesy of Desiray Miracle-Wilder)
“All he wants is people love,” Desiray Miracle-Wilder, the shelter’s director, told The Dodo. “He will reach his little hand out, and he just wants you to touch him and hold his hand. And he’s so sad when you walk off to finish cleaning or whatever you have to do.”

Despite his outward appearance and scarred face, Speck was no tough cookie. Nothing could have been further from the truth; all he wanted was some love.

(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/desiray.wilder">Desiray Miracle-Wilder</a>)
(Courtesy of Desiray Miracle-Wilder)

“You could put anything else around him—another giant dog, a cat, but he is just so fixated on getting love from people that he doesn’t care about anything else,” Wilder said.

“He just wants you to touch him. If you sit down, he’s laying on you, if you hold his hand, he’ll hold your hand, if you scratch his belly, he’ll roll over,” she said.

In a flash of inspiration, as she was cleaning the kennels, Wilder decided to film Speck and his lovable hand-holding habit. Hoping the video would finally create some interest in Speck, Wilder posted her video on Facebook. The short clip went viral in a few days, clocking up over 96,000 views.

The publicity about this loving hound was what got Speck on the road to a new life with a new family.

Until his web stardom, Speck had been living life in a small kennel in the Alabama dog shelter since the autumn of 2018. However, his patience and the hard work of the dog shelter have ensured that Speck is finally getting a second shot at life.

(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/desiray.wilder">Desiray Miracle-Wilder</a>)
(Courtesy of Desiray Miracle-Wilder)
Thanks to the power of the internet, the cute video was enough for Speck to find a new family. Wilder updated on Bullock County Humane Society’s Facebook page that Speck is now enjoying a completely new life on a 26-acre family farm with two other dogs in upstate New York.

Getting Speck from Alabama to upstate New York was also something of a saga. But the marathon journey north was solved when another organization, Allie’s Hope for Paws, stepped in to help and found a pilot to take Speck on his first-ever flight.

Speck and his new owners, Mike and Danielle. (Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/desiray.wilder">Desiray Miracle-Wilder</a>)
Speck and his new owners, Mike and Danielle. (Courtesy of Desiray Miracle-Wilder)

Wilder wrote: “We are so excited. Not only did Speck get adopted due to this video of his cuteness, but he also helped a few other fur babies get rescued, and he got us some food donations!”

The update noted that Speck now has new owners, Mike and Danielle, who “will hold his furry little paws and give him lots of love.”

A fitting end for this lovable mutt that only ever wanted to be loved. The shelter still has a few other long-timers that, like Speck, are waiting to be adopted into a loving family.

(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/desiray.wilder">Desiray Miracle-Wilder</a>)
(Courtesy of Desiray Miracle-Wilder)
Speck’s is a heartwarming tale that shows the power of love that flows in every living being, human or nonhuman. We hope Speck’s story will inspire more people and make them open their hearts a little more to adopt shelter pets that need help.

We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at [email protected]

Epoch Inspired staff cover stories of hope that celebrate kindness, traditions, and triumph of the human spirit, offering valuable insights into life, culture, family and community, and nature.
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