Dale the Treeing Walker Coonhound had a story that is sadly very common in WV and many other states. Forced to live outside on a chain, through the heat of summer and the freezing cold of winter, underfed, and ignored until his owner would turn him loose to hunt black bear.


His scarred face and partially missing tail told the story of the battles he had fought for his life. His worn teeth were a souvenir of his attempts to chew through his chain and escape his life of misery.


Many Hounds are overlooked in shelters, often due to myths and misconceptions about their breed. But Dale ended up being one of the lucky ones. After landing in a small rural pound, where he was impounded for six long months, he finally got the forever home he deserved.


Contrary to the myth that hounds will chase and kill cats, Dale preferred to allow his cat siblings to curl up under his long silky ears and take a nap. Like all dog breeds, while not all hounds will get along with cats or other small pets, many will.


After a good long life, camping with his dad, riding around in "his" jeep, and being a doggy ambassador at pet adoption events, Dale sadly passed away on Christmas Eve of 2021. But his memory lives on in the hearts of those whose lives he touched as a true testament to a noble breed, that is often abused, neglected, and overlooked.