‘He deserves a good home’: SCRAPS hosts event for shepherd who has been at shelter for 200 days

George the German shepherd is a good boy who loves chewing tennis balls, running outside and gently lapping up treats from people’s palms.

He knows how to sit and shake hands, and his big brown eyes make him especially photogenic – so much that a front-page picture of George in a Spokesman-Review story about dogs that have stayed at SCRAPS the longest helped garner around 50 adoption inquiries. George was the star of five dogs featured.

The German shepherd, who has been at SCRAPS more than 200 days since he was found tied to a tree in the Dishman Hills Natural Area, needs a special home. He doesn’t do well socializing with other animals and needs a devoted companion with dog experience. So shelter staff hosted a two-hour meet-and-greet with George on Saturday.

While nearly two dozen interested people and families showed up to see George, Margaret Cobylus was one of only two prospective adopters without pets at home or plans to take in others and therefore eligible to take him.

“I just think he is absolutely gorgeous, and I can’t believe someone would leave him tied up in the woods,” said Cobylus, of Spokane, who was planning to adopt a dog when she retires in the coming months.

Since owning two German shepherd-husky mixes for 15 years, each of the breeds were at the top of Cobylus’ list. Then she saw George, who SCRAPS guesses is 5, on the front page of last Sunday’s paper.

“George just took my heart when I saw him,” she said.

Cobylus tried to visit him Friday evening, before learning about the meet-and-greet. She showed up 15 minutes early to be first in line Saturday, and her main question was how George would get along with her grandsons. She was told he does well with kids and got to see how gentle he is firsthand.

“I think he’s gonna be an awesome dog, and he deserves a good home,” Cobylus said. “My grandkids will probably run him to death.”

SCRAPS animal behavior specialist Angelina Jobe Cuba said she asked visitors screening questions about their home dynamic.

“Everyone gets the opportunity to meet George and see him,” Jobe Cuba said. The questionnaire “really helps us determine how they’re going to thrive.”

The shelter will then have Cobylus, and any other prospective adopters, meet with George a few more times before they send him home with her or someone else. Depending on the potential adopters’ schedules, that could mean George has a new family within a week.

Adopters also reached out about Suko, who was found roaming in Medical Lake some 280 days ago, and Rosco, an affectionate dog who was surrendered after he bit an owner close to 200 days ago.

And they aren’t the only dogs in need of a good home. SCRAPS pointed families who came to see George but had other pets toward Monty, another shepherd who has been at the shelter a while.