Depressed dog who spent 2 years at Brampton shelter finally has a new home
Published April 28, 2023 at 3:32 pm
After nearly two years at the Brampton Animal Services shelter, King has officially left the building.
That’s the message from staff who are thrilled that one of their longest shelter residents finally has a place to call home.
The 8-year-old pooch who had been at Brampton Animal Services since July 2021, and when he first arrived staff said he was energetic and would happily wag his tail when interacting with people.
“The second someone would walk into the kennels where we have the dogs he was right at the gate excited to go for a walk or see somebody,” said Mike Mulick, manager of Brampton Animal Services.
But between years at the shelter and getting older, Brampton Animal Services Manager Mike Mulick said King was becoming depressed.
“At a certain point, it starts to take its toll on the animals, and we were seeing that in King,” Mulick said. “He just wasn’t himself…it would take some coaxing to even get him off his bed.”
Videos
Brampton Animal Services had put out the call for adoptions multiple times on social media to try and find a home for King. But with special needs like a hypo-allergic diet, an owner with dog experience, and no other animals or kids in the home, staff had no luck.
That is until recently when the shelter put out another post about King that grabbed the attention of prospective pet owners from outside the province.
“We actually were getting calls from all over the country…and people were really great in that they wanted to do something for him, but it wasn’t necessarily the best fit.
But King’s luck took a turn for the better last week when a retiree from the Hamilton area heard about King’s story and put in an application to adopt.
Mulick said King’s new owner came for a meet-and-greet last Thursday, and by Friday King was off to his new home.
“He loved King right away,” Mulick said of the dog’s new owner.
And while finding a new home for King was a goal for the Animal Services team, Mulick said his adoption was bittersweet.
“A lot of our staff were happy and sad at the same time because we also get attached to them as well, even though we know that their better life is out there in a proper home on a couch or in a backyard,” he said.
Mulick said there is a need for more pet adoptions in Brampton, particularly with dogs.
For more information on pet adoption or how you can help support animals in Brampton visit the Brampton Animal Services website.
insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising