This wild dog died, came back to life. Now PAWS is looking for his “perfect family.”

A PAWS Humane dog with an especially unique story is now up for adoption and needs the community’s help in finding his “perfect family.”

PAWS announced on Facebook Wednesday that it is now looking for a special family to take home Ghost, a 2-year-old Cane-Corso mix.

Ghost escaped from Milgen Road Animal Care and Control Center while being transported to a van last year. He lived wild in the woods for nearly a year until staff captured him in Dec. 2016 with a snare pole.

But when he was captured, Ghost did something remarkable — he died and came back to life.

PAWS officials believe he had a heart attack because of stress during his capture, but luckily a veterinary technician on the scene performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and was able to revive him moments later.

He has been in the care of PAWS since the incident where his caretakers have been literally teaching him how to be a dog.

“He is very curious and will walk toward you, only to lose his confidence and retreat to the safety of his kennel,” Casey Smith told the Ledger-Enquirer in March 2017. “If you accidentally make eye contact with him, he will go into his kennel and spin in circles, which is what he does when he’s anxious. Ghost doesn’t wag his tail, he doesn’t know how to accept affection, and he doesn’t know how to trust humans.”

Since then, he made friends with another shelter dog, Maximus, and has been living outside in a specially-made shelter. He learned more about how to play and accept human attention, but still needs a family that understands his background.

“We’re really excited about where he’s going,” Kati Morrell, PAWS’ adoptions manager, said. “In the beginning, we didn’t know if he was going to be adoptable, and now we can see that he’s going to get there. He’s really going to get there.”

Interested families should be prepared to understand that Ghost is not a “cuddler” dog, according to the Facebook post. His adopted family should also not be planning a move anytime soon.

He’ll also need an outdoor shelter or house with at least two openings where he will live full time. A “doggie playmate” is essential since he has blossomed and grown confidence around other dogs in the shelter, Anitra Holley, volunteer and foster care coordinator, said.

Ghost’s new family must be understanding of his anxiety and shyness, Holley said. While he may learn to spend time indoors over time, families should never force him to be inside unless in extreme weather.

Consistent loud noises are not a good environment for Ghost, and his new owners will need to have a plan for Ghost to adapt to situations like mowing and weed eating. A family with older children who can learn to approach a dog slowly and quietly would be best, Holley said.

“We understand that this is a lot to take on, but Ghost is a super special guy and we are dedicated to finding him a loving home,” the Facebook post reads.

The ideal family would include someone who has a knack or natural ability to connect with dogs, especially feral ones. They must also be patient while working with Ghost and know everything with him is a slow process, Holley said.

Those with a serious interest can email adoptions@pawshumane.org to receive his adoption application and speak with an adoptions counselor.

Staff writer Tim Chitwood contributed to this report.

This story was originally published October 27, 2017 at 9:03 AM with the headline "This wild dog died, came back to life. Now PAWS is looking for his “perfect family.”."