“Sweet old man” dog finally adopted after more than 500 days in shelter

All shelter dogs dream of getting adopted, but some have more difficulty than others, especially senior dogs. Older dogs are often passed over by adopters, but they deserve love, too, and great homes to spend their twilight years in.

One “old man” shelter dog spent over 500 days in a shelter waiting for someone to love him — and now, he’s finally going home ❤️

Kenneth, a 9-year-old mixed breed dog, arrived at the Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin in March 2023. They described him as a “handsome old man” and a “big sweetheart.”

“He likes to spend his time taking some nice long naps, but can pull out a burst of energy for a nice playtime!” the shelter wrote on Facebook. “He’s on the bigger side but definitely sees himself as a lap dog, and adores some snuggles and love.”

They wrote that he was looking for a home where he is the only pet, a place that could “let his personality bloom.”

Kenneth was soon taken in by a caring foster, an environment where he healed both physically and emotionally: a leg injury he was found with got better, and he overcame his earlier anxiety and proved to be a relaxed, easygoing dog who loves to sleep, eat and be pet.

While he did well in foster care, it was only a short-term fix, and a permanent home eluded him. Weeks and months passed by with no one interested in adopting Kenneth. He ended up spending over 500 days in the shelter’s care; for comparison their average wait time to adoption is just 17 days.

“No dog should ever hit milestones like birthdays and anniversaries in a shelter,” the Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin wrote on Facebook in March, on the 1-year anniversary of his arrival. “Kenneth deserves a loving home to celebrate in, but until we find that family, he has us to celebrate with.”

The Humane Society highlighted Kenneth as “Dog of the Month” this month, waiving his adoption fee and offering to cover his food and preventative care for the first year after adoption.

They didn’t give up on this sweet senior, and thankfully their dedication soon paid off. In an inspiring update, the Humane Society announced that Kenneth has finally been adopted!

“We are SO EXCITED to update this post! Kenneth has been ADOPTED!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations to him and his forever family!” they wrote on Facebook.