BENTON HARBOR — When Marianne Szucs visited Lightning at Berrien County Animal Control’s shelter in Benton Harbor, the 8-to-9-year-old terrier did not seem too “lovely dovey.” Lightning was more interested in the treats a volunteer had than her and her son, Zion.

Once Lightning came to Szucs’ Muskegon home, though, his attitude immediately changed. Szucs said he walked right up the stairs. She followed and found lightning lying next to Zion on his bed, under the blankets, head poking out.

Zion and Lightning have become inseparable in the nearly three weeks since Lightning was adopted.

“He was meant to come to our family. He was meant to be Zion’s dog, as much as I like to say he’s our family member,” she said with a laugh.

Before adoption, Lightning had lived in the BCAC shelter for six months — longer than most other dogs he was with. He was found as a stray in November 2018 with what appeared to be chemical burn scars running from his head to his back.

BCAC director Tiffany Peterson said that the government organization has made a strong push to connect the animals it finds with rescues and animal centers. People often have a preconceived notion that animal control is a department that euthanizes and poorly treats the animals it finds.

Berrien County’s center serves as more of a temporary location before adoption or a move to a non-profit rescue, she said. In the past 18 months, she said she has made a push to connect with many animals rescues and shelters.

The BCAC also attends community events to help get their animals adopted.

In the meantime, animals are kept are comfortable as possible. But while volunteers make sure dogs are walked and loved, she said the BCAC is also a place that confines animals.

“You’re on a routine,” she said. “This is when I get fed, this is when I get walked. They want to run. Who doesn’t?”

That was why Lightning’s long stay at the BCAC was an anomaly. Peterson feared he would get used to department’s routine and become institutionalized, unable to handle a freer home life.

The BCAC took Lightning to multiple community events, hoping he would catch the interest of someone who was looking to adopt. Peterson said Lightning was friendly at these events, but his circumstances makes him difficult to adopt.

“He is an older dog, and he’s all scarred up, and he’s an American Staffordshire terrier,” Peterson said. “He kind of has three strikes against him.”

Peterson happened to know Szucs from when they both lived in Muskegon. Szucs came across a Facebook post by Peterson’s aunt with pictures of Lightning. The post described his status at the shelter and the scars he had from past abuse.

Zion wanted to see Lightning in person and eventually have him join their family. Szucs initially thought the two would go down to BCAC and foster him until he found a permanent home.

“They are awesome there, the staff and the volunteers,” she said. “But it takes its toll being there, especially nobody wanting him, a pit with scars.”

Once Zion and Szucs met Lightning in person, though, they both knew they had to adopt him.

“He’s amazing,” Szucs said. “He’s such a good dog. I couldn’t ask for a better family member than him.”

Szucs said the transition from shelter to home has gone well. It helped that Lightning, as an older dog, was already trained.

Lightning has taken a liking to soccer balls and a mouse toy originally made for cats. If Szucs did not have to keep Lightning on a leash due to fast traffic around her home, he would love to chase the turkeys and rabbits in their yard, she said.

He has also been companionable with those other than Szucs and Zion, too. He has gotten along with other dogs within the extended family and made those who do not like dogs warm up to him, Szucs said.

Szucs said she has always been an animal lover. She said she is the type to pick up wandering dogs that have escaped from their homes and spend hours finding the dogs’ families. She also volunteers at Muskegon’s wolf sanctuary, Howling Timbers.

She wishes that others could see the perfection in adopting or buying dogs other than puppies.

Her dad will only adopt old black dogs, because she said most people don’t want old dogs or black dogs. When he enters a shelter to adopt, he asks for the oldest dog there.

“I just wish people would give older animals or pits a chance,” Szucs said. “They can go through so much and still be so loving. It breaks my heart.”