MONROE - Five-year-old Romeo has a big smile, energy to run and jump freely in the grass outside and a penchant for bundling himself up in a cozy blue blanket, yet he has called the Green County Humane Society home for more than a year.
An American Staffordshire terrier mix, the red-and-white pup spends a number of hours behind glass, while burrito-wrapping himself in a blanket on his mattress when the temperature drops. His current neighbor, a 3-year-old black-and-white Labrador mix named Lennox, roams around his kennel, which has a sign on it that reads "Adopted!" in big, bold letters. Lennox had just been brought in at the beginning of the month.
Romeo has not been as lucky.
He was a stray who was brought to the humane society in December of 2015. Laci Westgard, executive director of public affairs, said the average dog taken in by the GCHS is adopted within one to four months. Romeo is in his 15th month with the humane society. Though placement has been difficult for Romeo, Westgard said the outlook is still positive.
"It's not his lack of cuteness," Westgard said. "It's just finding that perfect home. There's really no reason for him not to get adopted. He's looking for an active household."
High energy is one reason he has been hard to place, Executive Director of Operations Deb Broge said. Another is his breed.
"The pitbulls have always just taken a little longer to get adopted," Broge said. "That's just how it is. They are an extremely intelligent dog. People do have a negative impression of them, which a lot of the time is just not true."
For a no-kill shelter like Green County, the animals stay until they find a family to adopt them.
Generally, Westgard said the humane society will not allow an adoption to take place unless it is "the best home." Though most dogs are adopted before six months pass, some in the past have stayed up to three years. The best place for Romeo, with a huge smile and solid body mass, would be a home with active people and older children - or none at all, Westgard said, "just because he could knock over a small child with his tail."
From the GCHS's standpoint, both pitbull-type breeds and hounds take longer to place because they require an active lifestyle and are not necessarily suitable companions for other dogs.
Broge said in her eight years with the humane society, she has always seen this type of breed take longer to find a permanent home. She added that another problem is a societal outlook on the pitbull breed overall, with a number of rental properties restricting pet ownership of any kind and especially certain breeds. In other instances, like the villages of Argyle and South Wayne, there are laws that prohibit ownership of any type of pitbull.
Receptionist Stephanie Pfile noted how lovable Romeo has been since he was brought in. She said there has been more than one applicant interested in taking Romeo home and qualified to do so but simply changed their mind. Despite the close calls, he continues to soak up the attention he receives, patiently waiting for each treat and happily spending time with volunteers and staff.
"He'll be here until he finds his forever home," Westgard said.
An American Staffordshire terrier mix, the red-and-white pup spends a number of hours behind glass, while burrito-wrapping himself in a blanket on his mattress when the temperature drops. His current neighbor, a 3-year-old black-and-white Labrador mix named Lennox, roams around his kennel, which has a sign on it that reads "Adopted!" in big, bold letters. Lennox had just been brought in at the beginning of the month.
Romeo has not been as lucky.
He was a stray who was brought to the humane society in December of 2015. Laci Westgard, executive director of public affairs, said the average dog taken in by the GCHS is adopted within one to four months. Romeo is in his 15th month with the humane society. Though placement has been difficult for Romeo, Westgard said the outlook is still positive.
"It's not his lack of cuteness," Westgard said. "It's just finding that perfect home. There's really no reason for him not to get adopted. He's looking for an active household."
High energy is one reason he has been hard to place, Executive Director of Operations Deb Broge said. Another is his breed.
"The pitbulls have always just taken a little longer to get adopted," Broge said. "That's just how it is. They are an extremely intelligent dog. People do have a negative impression of them, which a lot of the time is just not true."
For a no-kill shelter like Green County, the animals stay until they find a family to adopt them.
Generally, Westgard said the humane society will not allow an adoption to take place unless it is "the best home." Though most dogs are adopted before six months pass, some in the past have stayed up to three years. The best place for Romeo, with a huge smile and solid body mass, would be a home with active people and older children - or none at all, Westgard said, "just because he could knock over a small child with his tail."
From the GCHS's standpoint, both pitbull-type breeds and hounds take longer to place because they require an active lifestyle and are not necessarily suitable companions for other dogs.
Broge said in her eight years with the humane society, she has always seen this type of breed take longer to find a permanent home. She added that another problem is a societal outlook on the pitbull breed overall, with a number of rental properties restricting pet ownership of any kind and especially certain breeds. In other instances, like the villages of Argyle and South Wayne, there are laws that prohibit ownership of any type of pitbull.
Receptionist Stephanie Pfile noted how lovable Romeo has been since he was brought in. She said there has been more than one applicant interested in taking Romeo home and qualified to do so but simply changed their mind. Despite the close calls, he continues to soak up the attention he receives, patiently waiting for each treat and happily spending time with volunteers and staff.
"He'll be here until he finds his forever home," Westgard said.