Editor's Pick North Carolina shelter dog once out of options now has a job, new lease on life Donna Swicegood Statesville Record & Landmark Jun 20, 2024 Jun 20, 2024 Updated Jul 28, 2025 0 × When you enter a hotel room, leave your suitcase in the bathroom while you inspect your surroundings for bed bugs. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Merit was out of options when he was returned to Iredell (North Carolina) County Animal Services last year.kAm%96 3628=6^4@4<6C DA2?:6= 5@8 H2D 25@AE65 :? pF8FDE] qJ ~4E@36C[ 96 H2D 324< 2E E96 D96=E6C] %96 72>:=J D2:5 96 5:5 ?@E 244=:>2E6 E@ E96 49:=5C6? :? E96 9@>6]k^AmkAm|6C:E’D C6EFC? E@ E96 D96=E6C H2D 325 ?6HD 7@C E96 5@8] w:D 3692G:@C2= :DDF6D >256 9:> 5:77:4F=E E@ 25@AE] w6 H2D =:<6=J E@ 36 6FE92?:K65]k^Am Merit uses his nose to check for bed bugs. Donna Swicegood photos, Record & Landmark kAm%92E’D H96? w:89=2?5 r2?:?6 %C2:?:?8 :? &?:@? vC@G6[ }]r][ DE6AA65 :? 2?5 564:565 |6C:E 56D6CG65 2 492?46[ D2:5 |2852=6?2 $KJ>2?D<2[ w:89=2?5’D 5:C64E@C @7 65F42E:@?]k^Am People are also reading… Cabarrus County roads to receive upgrades Key UNC basketball guard makes decision on future New Northwest area elementary school key project for CCS The Cheesecake Factory expanding with possible Concord Mills location Friday Five: Fast food fun, beer, plants, running and poetry Friday Five: Traffic, a new restaurant, houses and more Down payment aid package launches in Cabarrus County, expanding homeownership access UNC Charlotte receives major gift to launch Albert School of Construction Harrisburg's new turf fields complete, opening ceremony next week Kannapolis to host Carolinas Community Band Festival on April 25 Top 5 can't-miss experiences at AutoFair at Charlotte Motor Speedway Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA honors lifesaving efforts, community impact at annual meeting Sisters become neighbors in WeBuild Concord homes America's Pastime is alive and well in Kannapolis Free West Avenue express shuttles return to Downtown Kannapolis kAm~?6 @7 |6C:E’D EC2:?6CD[ $92H? w:E6[ >256 E96 5@8 2 DA64:2= AC@;64E] w:E6 42>6 E@ w:89=2?5 :? y2?F2CJ 2?5 3682? H@C<:?8 H:E9 |6C:E]k^Am Merit the dog. Photo used with permission kAm}@H[ E96 5@8 H:E9 2 3=62< 7FEFC6 92D A2DD65 9:D 46CE:7:42E:@? 2D 2 365 3F8 56E64E:@? 5@8] |6C:E H:== 36 >2<:?8 9:D 9@>6 H:E9 w:E6 H96? 96 C6EFC?D E@ x?5:2?2]k^AmkAmxE’D 2 92AAJ 6?5:?8[ D2:5 %C24J $2?496K[ G@=F?E66C 4@@C5:?2E@C 2E xC656== r@F?EJ p?:>2= $6CG:46D] “(6 2C6 2=H2JD D@ 8C2E67F= H96? @C82?:K2E:@?D DF49 2D w:89=2?5 r2?:?6 2C6 23=6 96=A FD D2G6 =:G6D H96? H6 ?@ =@?86C 92G6 @AE:@?D[” D96 D2:5]k^Am Shawn Hite watches as his dog, Merit, checks a box for the scent of bed bugs. kAm$KJ>2?D<2 D2:5 w:89=2?5 92D H@C<65 H:E9 E96 D96=E6C E@ EC2:? 5@8D E@ >2<6 E96> >@C6 25@AE23=6] q2D:4 @365:6?46[ DF49 2D D:E[ 5@H? 2?5 DE2J[ :D E96 >2:? 7@4FD 7@C w:89=2?5] ~442D:@?2==J EC2:?6CD CF? 24C@DD 5@8D :? ?665 @7 >@C6 EC2:?:?8] %92E H2D E96 42D6 H:E9 |6C:E]k^Am kAm“pD 2 C6DF=E @7 92G:?8 =:>:E65 @AE:@?D 2E E92E A@:?E 5F6 E@ E96 ?2EFC6 @7 9:D C6EFC?[ w:89=2?5 r2?:?6 %C2:?:?8 28C665 E@ E2<6 9:> @? 2D 2 C6D4F6 2?5 EC2:? 9:> 7@C 2 DA64:7:4 ;@3] %96J <?6H 3@E9 9:D 324<8C@F?5 2?5 9:D A@E6?E:2= 2?5 H6C6 23=6 E@ 96=A 9:> :? 2 H2J E92E H6 H6C6 ?@E 8@:?8 E@ 36 23=6 E@ 5@[” $2?496K D2:5]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack kAm$KJ>2?D<2 D2:5 :E H2D 2AA2C6?E |6C:E ?66565 DECF4EFC6 2?5 EC2:?:?8 E@ E2A :?E@ 9:D A@E6?E:2=]k^AmkAmw:E6[ H9@ C6E:C65 :? a_`f 27E6C 2 a_\J62C 42C66C :? E96 >:=:E2CJ[ 42>6 E@ w:89=2?5 2D 2 DEF56?E :? y2?F2CJ] ~?6 @7 9:D 7:CDE AC@;64ED H2D |6C:E] &D:?8 E96 5@8’D :?DE:?4E 7@C D46?E H@C<[ 96 3682? FD:?8 3@I6D E@ 2==@H |6C:E E@ 9@?6 :? @? 365 3F8D] ~?46 |6C:E >2DE6C65 7:?5:?8 E96 D46?E :? E96 3@I6D[ E96 5F@ >@G65 @? E@ 42CD 2?5 3F:=5:?8D]k^Am kAmw:E6 E@@< |6C:E E@ DE2J H:E9 9:> 2E 2 9@E6= 2?5 FD65 9:D E6>A@C2CJ 9@>6 2D 2 H2J E@ 6?92?46 |6C:E’D EC2:?:?8] “w6 5:5 9:E 2 D46?E :? @?6 @7 E96 C@@>D[” w:E6 D2:5] w6 25565 E92E E96 9@E6= H2D E96? 23=6 E@ EC62E E96 C@@> 7@C 365 3F8D]k^Am kAmp?5 H92E :D |6C:E’D >@E:G2E:@? E@ 7:?5 E96 365 3F8Dn p E6??:D 32==]k^Am Merit comes back to his trainer and owner, Shawn Hite, with his tennis ball. Playing fetch is a reward for Merit. kAm(96? |6C:E 5@6D 9:D ;@3[ 2 82>6 @7 76E49 H:E9 w:E6 :D 9:D C6H2C5] |6C:E 2=D@ 86ED AC2:D6 2?5 27764E:@?]k^AmkAmsFC:?8 E96 EC2:?:?8[ w:E6 56G6=@A65 2 3@?5 H:E9 E96 2AAC@I:>2E6=J f\J62C\@=5 42?:?6] w:E6 564:565 E@ 25@AE |6C:E 2?5 E2<6 9:> 9@>6 H96? w:E6 8C25F2E6D ?6IE H66<]k^Am kAm|62?H9:=6[ E96 5@8 H9@ 925 =:EE=6 9@A6 @7 7:?5:?8 2 9@>6 ?@H D=66AD H:E9 w:E6 :? 9:D 9@E6= C@@>] (96? w:E6 C6EFC?D E@ x?5:2?2 ?6IE H66<[ |6C:E H:== 92G6 `e 24C6D 7@C A=2J]k^Am kAmw:E6 D2:5 E9:D :D E96 36DE @FE4@>6 7@C 3@E9 9:> 2?5 |6C:E] “x 2> 92AAJ[” w:E6 D2:5] “w6 :D 2 8@@5 4@>A2?:@?] w6 92D 8C62E C642== @77 =62D9] x =@G6 E92E E9:D 5@8 :D 2 C6D4F6] x =@G6 9:D A6CD@?2=:EJ]”k^AmkAm$2?496K D2:5 EC2:?:?8 2?5 A2E:6?46 F?=@4<65 |6C:E] “w6 ?66565 E96 C:89E 7:E 2?5 2 ;@3[” D96 D2:5]k^Am Magdalena Szymanska pets Merit after a training session. Donna Swicegood, Record and Landmark kAm$KJ>2?D<2 D2:5 D2G:?8 5@8D :D @?6 @7 E96 >:DD:@?D @7 w:89=2?5 r2?:?6 2?5 :ED ?@?AC@7:E 2C>[ w:89=2?5 r2?:?6 r@??64E] %96 ?@?AC@7:E H2D 7@F?565 E@ H@C< H:E9 E96 4@>>F?:EJ E@ 4C62E6 7F=7:==:?8 2?5 6?828:?8 4@??64E:@?D 36EH66? 5@8D 2?5 A6@A=6 :? ?665] w:89=2?5 r2?:?6 r@??64E EC2:?D D6CG:46 5@8D[ 5@?2E6D A@=:46 5@8D E@ 286?4:6D H:E9 =:>:E65 3F586ED 2?5 EC2:?D E96C2AJ 5@8D E@ 36 A=2465 :? D49@@=D]k^Am kAmw:89=2?5 r2?:?6 9@=5D 4=2DD6D 7@C EC2:?6CD[ :?4=F5:?8 E9@D6 2=C625J H@C<:?8 H:E9 5@8D 3FE H2?E:?8 E@ =62C? >@C6[ 2?5 A6@A=6 :?E6C6DE65 :? DE2CE:?8 2 5@8\EC2:?:?8 3FD:?6DD]k^Am 0 Comments Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story What To Do If You Find Bed Bugs In Your Hotel Room When you enter a hotel room, leave your suitcase in the bathroom while you inspect your surroundings for bed bugs. Essential dog and cat safety tips for the hottest days of summer While you might be looking forward to longer walks with your dog or more time soaking up the sun with your cat, summer weather can be dangerou…
What To Do If You Find Bed Bugs In Your Hotel Room When you enter a hotel room, leave your suitcase in the bathroom while you inspect your surroundings for bed bugs.
Essential dog and cat safety tips for the hottest days of summer While you might be looking forward to longer walks with your dog or more time soaking up the sun with your cat, summer weather can be dangerou…
