Everyone has a soft spot for attractive dogs, and when they are in shelters, these cuddly canines frequently find homes quickly.
Martin, an adorably cute puppy at the SPCA of Wake County, hasn’t had the same luck, either.
The Dodo was told by Samantha Ranlet, a marketing communications consultant at SPCA, “His [dad] was 89 years old and reached a point where he couldn’t provide the life that he felt Martin deserved.”
He want a better life for himself, she said.
The explanation, while heartbreakingly sincere, only served to highlight Martin’s desire to locate a caring home where he could spend his later years.
Martin settled quite nicely to his new surroundings despite his advanced age.
He did a good job of adjusting, Ranlet noted. I’m not sure if he realized what was happening, but he was always this cheerful, laid-back, incredibly kind old man with a bear face.
Martin’s search for a lifelong home wasn’t easy, though.
He was adopted several times before being brought back to the shelter. He was returned a startling seven times during the two months he stayed there.
Martin’s heartworm infection and the difficulties of caring for an elderly dog could have had a role.
The shelter staff was nevertheless certain that Martin would find his ideal match. They had faith that he would find a family someplace.
The shelter shared Martin’s tale on their Facebook page in an effort to aid in his search for his forever home.
“Martin really is the bestest boy,” they wrote. His former owner claimed that Martin is very compassionate, especially towards children. Martin used to cuddle up to their granddaughters so they could rest their heads on him while they napped, according to Martin. He gets along with dogs of all sizes and energies, is crate-trained, and is excellent with people of all ages, even elders. Martin, a 10-year-old with mild hearing impairment, is nevertheless intelligent and enjoys receiving praise.
Martin saw the power of social media clearly.
With approximately 3,000 shares, the message rapidly became popular. The shelter received a deluge of requests to adopt him in just 48 hours.
A pair with knowledge in taking care of senior dogs was one of the prospective adopters.
Martin’s age and his health issues didn’t dissuade them.
In her own words, Ranlet, “They just fell in love with him and his teddy bear energy.”
Martin became a local celebrity as a result of the article’s popularity. An humorous occurrence was related by the SPCA of Wake County: “…shortly after Martin’s family left the SPCA and took him down to the pet store, the pet store employees recognized him right away and said, “Is that Martin?!
