‘Someone adopt this hot mess!’ 110-pound dog wins fans after NC shelter begs for help

A 110-pound dog with countless bad habits is winning hearts on social media, after a North Carolina shelter hilariously begged: “Someone adopt this hot mess” in a Facebook post.

The dog, appropriately named Billy Bob, is a bumbling mastiff with the size and disposition of an average teenager.

“Tongue hangs out way too much, terrible car rider, entirely too food motivated and will accidentally mistake your arm for a cheeseburger, smells a little, and loves every person he has ever met,” Burke County Animal Services wrote Nov. 16.

Mastiffs are a “massive, heavy-boned dog,” that can reach 230 pounds, the American Kennel Club says.

That makes Billy Bob “a little on the thin side,” according to Kaitlin Settlemyre, director of Burke County Animal Services.

However, she says anyone considering an adoption should first “hide your fine china.”

“In his time with us, we have discovered he is a giant baby who is not aware of his large size,” Settlemyre told McClatchy News.

“He loves food and will gently grasp onto anything that smells like food, including tables, elbows, and even chairs.”

Coincidentally, Billy Bob has only been at the shelter a week.

His past is a mystery, but he is believed to be 5 to 6 years old, middle aged for a mastiff. He ended up at the shelter after wandering onto a farm owned by a Burke County Commission member, officials say.

“This was last week when there was so much rain coming in, so we went out and picked him up so he would have somewhere safe and dry to stay,” Settlemyre says.

“We think he would love kids, but with his large size and food motivation he may need to be placed with older kids. I have a 2-year-old that’s constantly sticky (for some reason), so I feel sure Billy Bob would want to put his arms in his mouth.”

The shelter’s Facebook post has gotten hundreds of reactions and comments in 24 hours, with many finding Billy Bob and his ever present tongue “absolutely adorable.”

“I’m in love with a boy I’ve never met,” Abigail De Gyves posted on the shelter’s Facebook page.

“And they say love at first sight don’t happen,” Diana Poteet wrote.

“He sounds positively irresistible!” Jody Lunceford said.

Burke County Animals Services is located at 425 Kirksey Drive in Morganton. Phone: 828-764-9588

This story was originally published November 17, 2022 at 1:44 PM with the headline "‘Someone adopt this hot mess!’ 110-pound dog wins fans after NC shelter begs for help."