A Determined Senior Rescue Dog Finally Finds A Fur-ever Home After 7 Years At A North Carolina Shelter

Mitch, a spunky 12-year-old treeing walker coonhound, has finally found his loving forever home!

After spending seven long years at the Jackson County shelter in North Carolina, his dreams of having a family have come true. Thanks to a heartwarming video the Cashiers-Highland Humane Society shared on TikTok, showcasing Mitch's story, his new mom, Teresa Shular, fell in love with him and knew he was the perfect addition to her family.

"I cried when I watched it the first time," she told her local ABC station. "I cried when I watched it the second time. I thought about it and prayed about it for a few days."

Shular and her husband made the heartwarming decision to adopt the furry friend who held the record for the longest stay at the shelter. "Couldn't get up there fast enough to get him," Shular said.

With the devoted care and attention of the shelter staff, Mitch became an absolute charmer as he mellowed out over the years. Although his older age may have made him a bit harder to place in a loving home, his endearing personality and unwavering spirit have finally won the hearts of his new family.

While some of Shular's friends have questioned her getting an older dog, Shular defends her choice, stating that she wants to provide Mitch with a better life in his senior years.

"I've had it said to me by several people, 'Why would you go get a dog that age just for it to die on you?' And I said, 'So he can have a home beforehand,” Shular said.

"It's not about me; it's about Mitch. He needed a home, and thankfully we can provide that for him."

Cashiers-Highland Humane Society's director, David Stroud, said there is a life lesson to learn from Mitch's late adoption: "I believe that if Mitch has a message for all of us, it's just that: never give up," he told the station.