Escaped dog roamed North Carolina swamp for weeks. Now he needs a ‘calm, loving home’
A timid dog roamed a North Carolina swamp for weeks — and now he waits for a fresh start.
“Thankfully, he has since been safely captured and is now seeking a calm, loving home where he can feel secure and cherished,” Leann Tenbusch, marketing coordinator for the Triangle Beagle Rescue, told McClatchy News in an Aug. 21 email. “With a special fondness for hot dog treats and a shy demeanor, Murphy is ready to find a patient and caring family.”
Murphy is up for adoption after going on “quite the journey.” He was found “wandering the streets all alone” when he was picked up as a stray. The pup then bounced between shelters before landing at the Triangle Beagle Rescue, the Raleigh-area organization wrote on Facebook.
At one point, Murphy got a new owner who lived near the North Carolina coast. But he started struggling in the environment and ran away from his adoptive home, according to Dave Cotton, who had been a foster parent to the dog.
“Being that he still had a fear of people he crossed a busy highway and headed for a swampy area, staying clear of people,” Cotton told McClatchy News in an email.
Murphy was on the run for more than six weeks, and it took the work of dedicated foster parents to capture him on Aug. 9. Now, he’s living with Cotton again as he waits for a new owner.
“He is a totally different dog than when he left,” Cotton said. “His interaction with the other dogs has been fun to watch. Just the fact that he comes out of his crate and joins the pack on the couch and plays with toys in front of me has shown he is gaining confidence.”
In addition to being shy, Murphy is known for having a “gentle soul.” He’s also discerning about his treats.
“I’ll only take a treat from their hand if it’s a real hot dog,” the rescue said in an online adoption profile written from Murphy’s perspective. “None of that fake stuff for me!”
As of Aug. 22, the rescue’s website listed Murphy as in need of a home. More details about the organization’s adoption process can be found at tribeagles.org.
“Life hasn’t always been easy for me,” the rescue wrote. “But despite my timid nature around people, I’m still hopeful that I’ll find my forever home.”
This story was originally published August 22, 2024 at 10:52 AM.
