Shelter dog photographed by Times gets new home

The little dog has a new home.

The dachshund peering through a chain-link kennel door in a Page 1 photo in Monday's Seattle Times and on seattletimes.com has been adopted.

The photograph appeared with a story about conditions at King County's animal shelters.

Many readers called the newspaper and King County Animal Care and Control — and some went straight to the shelter — to see if they could adopt the brown dog. But it had been adopted last Tuesday, the same day it arrived at the Kent shelter and Seattle Times photographer Tom Reese took its picture.

"The small dogs tend to go the fastest, and particularly the desirable breeds like dachshunds and pugs. They come in and they're adopted out right away," said Animal Care and Control's acting manager, Al Dams.

The previous owner "did the right thing," he said — bringing it in for adoption when the owner found he or she couldn't devote the time required to care for a dog.

Even though many people may have been disappointed they missed the chance to adopt the front-page dachshund, Dams said he believes interest in the dog has boosted the number of other animals now being adopted.

To adopt or to volunteer: go to www.kingcounty.gov/safety/animalservices/ or call 206-296-7387.