A Harbor Springs animal shelter in northern Michigan was inundated with adoption requests after they posted a picture of the only animal left behind after a statewide “Empty the Shelters” pet adoption day.
Eastwood, a red-coated Labrador retriever mix, watched as all his animal friends emptied out of the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society one-by-one.
But by Tuesday, the post had been shared nearly 2,000 times, and the shelter said they are no longer accepting adoption applications “due to the sheer number that we’ve received.”
Hours later they announced he was adopted. We're now learning that Eastwood was adopted by the family of Detroit Pistons' head coach Stan Van Gundy at the urging of his 17-year-old daughter.
"Special thank you to BISSELL Pet Foundation for sponsoring Empty the Shelters,” commented Stan's wife, Kim Van Gundy, Eastwood’s new mom. “If it were not for Empty the Shelters, our family would not have seen Eastwood. We always believe our animals find us."
"Empty The Shelters" is a free adoption event sponsored by BISSELL Pet Foundation. It helped 1,571 pets from 66 shelters (69 locations) throughout the state of Michigan find their forever homes in one day.
“We are so grateful to the Van Gundy family for the awareness they are bringing to adoption and for opening their hearts to make a difference that will change Eastwood’s life forever,” remarked Cathy Bissell, founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “Every shelter pet deserves a second chance. So many pets are waiting to be adopted and we hope telling Eastwood’s story will help save those pets too.”
“Poor Eastwood is so lonely now that all of his pals have been adopted,” the shelter said on its Facebook Page over the weekend.
Eastwood was born with leg deformities, and although surgery is not recommended at this time, operations costing upward of $4,000 may be needed in the future, according to the shelter.
Eastwood was found wandering in the cold. He was nearly blind, but his sight has improved since he’s been at the shelter.
For updates on Eastwood, click here.
