Human Interest Animals Animal Shelters & Rescues Senior Rescue Dog Who Never Gave Up Gets Adopted After 7 Years at North Carolina Shelter Mitch, a treeing walker coonhound, arrived at Cashiers-Highland Humane Society in 2016 and left in 2023 at the age of 12 after waiting seven years to find a home By Rebecca Aizin Rebecca Aizin Rebecca Aizin is an Associate Editor at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023. Her work has previously appeared on Elle, HGTV and Backstage. People Editorial Guidelines Published on February 10, 2023 12:17PM EST Photo: Courtesy Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society A North Carolina dog has finally found his forever home after spending seven years in a Jackson County shelter. Mitch, a 12-year-old treeing walker coonhound, was adopted after his new mom Teresa Shular saw a video the Cashiers-Highland Humane Society posted to their TikTok sharing Mitch's story. "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 ultimately decided to adopt the dog, who was the longest-term resident of the shelter at that point. "Couldn't get up there fast enough to get him," Shular said. Courtesy Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society The assistant shelter manager, Jodi Henkel, told the station Mitch arrived as a stray; he was found "emaciated and high-strung." However, even though he mellowed out over the years thanks to the staff's attention and care, Mitch remained a hard sell due to his older age. Cat Named Jerry Finds 'Loving Forever Home' After Owner Gave Him Away for Being 'Too Affectionate' "For some reason, people look at hound dogs and don't see them as pets, age, breed," Henkel said. "We like to see every dog have a chance because they all deserve it." Shular is now enjoying her time with Mitch, who loves lying on his new porch and roaming around his home's large property. Courtesy Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society 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." Courtesy Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society Ralphie the 'Demon' Dog Adopted by a 'Blessed' Owner Who's 'Completely in Love' with the Pup Shular plans on keeping the pup as comfortable as possible and loving him just as much. 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. Close