Dog rescued as stray needed a home. Then woman on business trip saw his adoption flyer
A North Carolina shelter dog needed a new home — then a woman on a business trip saw his adoption flyer.
“She came to visit him here at our little shelter while she was on her work trip and absolutely fell in love,” Pia Cash, shelter director at Madison County Animal Services, told McClatchy News in an Aug. 28 phone interview, adding that the woman wanted to adopt the dog but wouldn’t be able to return for a few weeks.
Sherlock was still available when the Illinois woman came back to the shelter, leading to a heartwarming adoption.
“All of us were invested in him,” Cash said. “He was like family to us, so there were tears. One of our volunteers who had spent the most time with him came and brought him a going away present.”
The shelter celebrated the emotional adoption after Sherlock experienced a rough life as a stray. He was picked up near a road in February, before a streak of cold temperatures hit the North Carolina mountains.
“Sherlock came in to the shelter 6 months ago — skin and bones with no manners and a big voice,” Animal Services wrote in a Facebook post. “Our shelter volunteers poured so much love into Sherlock over his stay with us.”
When he arrived at the shelter, Sherlock had to learn how to “walk on a leash and not drag people to the next county.” Volunteers also helped him get accustomed to riding in a car and living in a home, according to Cash and social media posts.
The dog also was found with a painful eye condition but underwent surgery to fix it. At the shelter, Sherlock became known for being a cuddly, playful 2-year-old hound with an investigative nature.
“We liked that name (because) we felt like it really fit his personality and his curiosity,” Cash said.
As Sherlock waited for a home, the shelter decided to post flyers about him in early August. One caught the attention of the woman traveling for work, and she couldn’t wait to meet him.
“A few weeks later he was jumping in her car for his biggest adventure yet — heading to his new home in Chicago,” Animal Services wrote.
Cash said the shelter is proud that Sherlock is adjusting to life in a city apartment, a change from his Western North Carolina roots. The shelter also shared updates from his new owner, who reports that he can’t get enough belly rubs and is still getting used to the noise of “L” trains barreling through Chicago.
“He was well-loved here at the shelter, but there’s nothing that beats having a real home,” Cash said.
Madison County Animal Services is in Marshall, a roughly 20-mile drive northwest from the popular mountain town of Asheville.
This story was originally published August 28, 2024 at 2:29 PM with the headline "Dog rescued as stray needed a home. Then woman on business trip saw his adoption flyer."
