Print Monthly

The mixed-breed dog had spent almost its entire life at the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, Missouri dog kennels.

A local business owner knew of the dog’s situation and after it still hadn’t found a home decided to do something to help.

Scott Poore, owner of clothes company Mission Driven spent $3,000 (£2,300) on a local billboard to spread the word that Merrick was looking for a family.

The sign featured a picture of the dog with his tongue sticking out and the message: “Hi! I’m Merrick. Will you be my hero?”.

We were telling the same story to the same audience for those five and a half years but when Mission Driven bought the billboard, we reached a whole new audience”

The billboard is the only campaign of many different types, including social media, to be successful after Jordan Nussbaum came forward to take Merrick in after seeing the sign.

Speaking to Kansas City TV station KMBC, Poore says: “It’s unbelievable it was this hard of a process. We were telling the same story to the same audience for those five and a half years but when Mission Driven bought the billboard, we reached a whole new audience.”

According to the Guardian, the shelter threw Merrick a leaving party last week and he is now enjoying life in his new home with Nussbaum.

A news article on the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City shelter celebrates the fact that Merrick has found his “perfect match” after 2,000 days in the shelter.