Senior dog gets adopted after spending 200 days at Orlando shelter

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Rascal has finally found his forever home. 

The senior dog was adopted this month after spending over 200 days at Orange County Animal Services. It was one of the longest stays for a dog at the shelter in 2021.

Orange Co. Animal Services

"For 222 days, Rascal sat in a kennel and watched every dog around him get adopted," the shelter wrote on Facebook. "At 8-years-old, and notoriously stubborn and dog reactive, Rascal was overlooked daily. The sad part was, under all that rough exterior lay an incredibly sweet and gentle heart."

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FOX 35 featured Rascal on Good Day Orlando before Christmas, hoping to get Rascal a home for the holidays, but no one came along – until now. 

The shelter received an email from a man who said he was just curious to see if he was ready for a new dog after losing his last one. 

"His exact words were, 'I'm in need of another dog to rescue me.'"

The shelter says the man and Rascal met and bonded immediately. He was adopted on the spot. 

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"He is rolling around on this patch of carpet and we are playing. He already follows me everywhere I go around here," Rascal's new owner told the shelter. "He fell asleep laying against my chest. I can tell he is grateful… He is in good hands. I swear I will protect him with all that I have."

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