22. Item 213: Dog Adoption

“Item 213: @dog_rates on Twitter & @weratedogs on Instagram rates dogs on their inherent dog attributes, but you know there’s a dog at your local shelter that deserves a 13/10 would take home forever rating.

Go to your local shelter and identify the dog that has been there the longest or is most in need of a home. Take appealing photos or videos of your canine candidate and create the best, most shareable post you can of this good doggo, including information on how and where to adopt them.”

About a month before the hunt, Breanna Harrel’s parents lost their 20-year-old pit bull, Occie. Her parents, Renne and Mike Herrel, wanted to open their home to another dog, but planned to wait until the renovations to their house were complete. That’s when Breanna met Brutus. She went to CARE Animal Rescue in Springfield, Missouri where she was taken to the two dogs who had been in the shelter the longest. She noticed that one of them was a pit bull, and Breanna immediately knew which dog she had to post about. Pit bulls have a hard time getting adopted in general, but even more so with restrictions in the Springfield area.

Breanna convinced her parents to come to the shelter even though they weren’t planning on adopting yet, but like their daughter, they kept coming back to Brutus. The shelter volunteer was excited to introduce Brutus to Renne and Mike. After hanging out with the pup for a bit, her mom said, “It just felt right.” Brutus won over the Harrel family with both parents noting that Brutus is the sweetest, most intelligent dog they’d ever met. Of course, they ended up adopting him.

Mike said, “Since we got him, there’s no lack of love we’ve shown him, but he’s given it right back. We’re really blessed to have found him.” The Harrels say their home feels like a home again. We didn’t have to look hard to find a Gisher who ended up adopting the dog they posted about. With a group this dedicated to spreading kindness and love, it was inevitable.