An Ohio humane society has turned to social media in an effort to get its longest doggy resident who has “so much love left to give” adopted.
Octavius, a 2-year-old terrier mix, was originally brought to the Jefferson County Humane Society on May 13. Day in and day out, he leans against his kennel’s “cold bars” watching other dogs get adopted. His hope was once seen in his big, bright eyes, which now reflect sadness as he patiently awaits his forever family.
With 91 days living in the humane society, Octavius has officially become the shelter’s longest resident. The previous dog that held the unwanted title was adopted Sunday, just shy of Day 200, the humane society’s receptionist, Ronda, told Newsweek.
More From Newsweek Vault: Compare Top Pet Insurance Plans For Dogs
But to stop Octavius from getting into the triple digits, the humane society pleaded for potential adopters to come forward in a July 31 Facebook post.
“At just 2 years old, he is still young, with so much love left to give,” part of the post reads. “Yet, the once vibrant boy is now showing signs of decline, with kennel sores marring his once pristine coat and his energy slowly fading.”
By sharing his story on social media, the humane society hopes that Octavius will get connected to his future adopter. Ronda said he is fully sponsored, meaning a donation came through that will cover his adoption fee of $210.
A 2-year-old shelter dog named Octavius is waiting to be adopted. He was brought to an Ohio humane society as a stray on May 13.
Jefferson County Humane Society/Facebook
Some potential adopters have shown interest in Octavius, but he hasn’t had his storybook ending yet.
More From Newsweek Vault: The Top Rewards Credit Cards for Pet Owners
“Someone did come and meet him, but their dog was a little more hyper and younger and jumping and Octavius was getting annoyed,” Ronda said. “We didn’t think it was a good fit.”
Octavius is “dog selective.” This means he gets along with some dogs but not all, which is one of the reasons why the shelter believes he has not been adopted yet.
More From Newsweek Vault: Pet Insurance 101: How Much Does It Cost and Is It Worth the Price?
He also doesn’t like cats and therefore needs to be in a feline-free environment. The humane society also recommends a family with children over age 12. Ronda said it’s not because Octavius doesn’t like children, but he has high energy and her team wouldn’t want him accidentally knocking down little kids.
His future family also needs to be responsible for consistent vet visits.
“He tested positive for Lyme, which we treated,” Ronda said. “We recommended that new adopters have him checked every six months for the rest of his life.”
Ronda and the rest of the team are hopeful his time will come soon enough.
U.S. Shelter Numbers
Each year, 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744, compared with January 2022, 24Petwatch’s Shelter Watch Report found.
Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs and behavior rehabilitation.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
