Chicago animal rescue center has been flooded with offers for a 10-year-old. After a Facebook post advertising him as "the most adoptable dog on the planet," Chihuahua went viral.
The brilliantly named Lord Herald came into the care of One More Dog Rescue. A not-for-profit organization in Illinois devoted to finding homes for dogs regardless of their breed, age, or physical condition.
Kelly Dietrich, one of six rescue coordinators who run One More Dog Rescue, told Newsweek: "We rescued Lord Herald from our municipal, open-access shelter in Chicago. The Animal Placement Coordinators reached out to us when Lord Herald was dropped off as a euthanasia request by his former family. Due to his grade 3 heart murmur and trouble breathing.
"The shelter veterinarians did a full exam and concluded that LH was not suffering or in any discomfort and needed additional medical care and long-term medications for his potential heart condition. They felt he was a candidate for rescue and called us."
What did the association say?
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. An estimated 390,000 shelter dogs are euthanized in the U.S. every year. Lord Herald was not without his issues. Dietrich says he tried to "bite" one of their coordinators almost immediately after they went to pick him up. Fortunately, Lord Herald has no teeth left, so his bark is worse than his bite.
Despite this minor setback, staff remained determined to find him a forever home to enjoy his retirement years. "When we commit to a dog, there is no backing out," Dietrich said. "So he became a part of our rescue and has kept us laughing ever since."
He describes the canine as a "pretty low-key guy." Dietrich said one of Lord Herald's favorite things to do is relax in his "very smooshy, cuddler bed that sits on a low-end table in the living room in his foster home and watches the world go by from his perch."
What does he like?
"He also likes chasing his foster mom when she walks through the house and biting her ankles, and in recent days. He has started running rescue errands with his foster mom, a rescue coordinator with One More Dog," she added.
Though he's not a "purse Chihuahua" and isn't keen on being carried around. They have found Lord Herald has a penchant for dressing up and is particularly fond of hats.
"As such a small guy, he must wear sweatshirts or jackets to keep him warm. And, so you would think 'getting dressed' would incite a good gumming," Dietrich said. "But he is quite happy doing it."
Lord Herald's status as "the world's most adoptable dog" stemmed from a tongue-in-cheek Facebook post created by One More Dog Rescue to celebrate the misfit pup.
"It was more us calling him out for being pretty much the least adoptable dog on the planet," Dietrich explained. "While we think he is perfect in his way, he does have some significant medical needs (heart medications for life and bi-annual cardiology checkups), and he is a frequent biter.
Dietrich said
"Even when he loves you, it is safe to expect serious gumming multiple times a day. He will yell at you (a mix between a growl and a high-pitched squeal) for looking his way. And he isn't interested in giving or receiving affection."
That hasn't stopped Lord Herald from becoming an online sensation. With fans flocking to comment on the social media post detailing his story and the many ailments. He continues to suffer. For many, Lord Herald's story was reminiscent of the many perfectly imperfect pups they had known and loved throughout their lives.
More than that, it was a reminder that every dog deserves a chance at a happy ending. Lord Herald could now be set to get his after One More Dog found themselves inundated with offers to give him the home he so richly deserves.
"There is a huge community of Chihuahua lovers (and old dog fans) who weren't deterred by Lord Herald's description. Many have had or currently have a similar small dog in their family and thought he sounded amazing. So we know his family is out there, and when he's ready for adoption, we will find them," Dietrich said.
"He needs a quiet home with no kids and a family who understands his quirks and is happy to give him space."
Lord Herald is one step closer to finding that forever home with the staff at One More Dog Rescue firmly in his corner.
