Couple Go to Shelter Looking for a Chihuahua—Realize 'Dog Picks the Family'
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A family who came to an animal rescue in search of a Chihuahua had a change of heart thanks to the efforts of a precocious shelter puppy named Fang.
Shelter dogs have a small window of time in which to make an impression on a visitor. One 2014 study published in Applied Animal Behavior Science estimated that shelter visitors interacted with just one pet per visit and that these interactions lasted an average of just eight minutes.
Fang was different though. When his future family came to the Laurie P. Andrews Adoption Center in Edinburg, Texas, it took a matter of seconds for the pup to catch their attention.
"Fang came in as a stray with his mama and eight siblings" Aileen Betancourt, an adoption specialist at the nonprofit shelter, told Newsweek. "Fang's mom gave birth outside the shelter, and Animal Control picked up the whole litter when he was just days old. He grew up here until his forever family walked in."
There was something special about Fang's adoption though. His family had come with the intention of taking home an entirely different breed of dog.
"They initially came in looking to adopt a small-breed Chihuahua and didn't even realize we were an adoption center," Betancourt said.
In truth, finding a Chihuahua at the adoption center was a long shot. "Since most of our dogs are strays, small breeds are rare here," Betancourt added.
Some visitors might have simply gone home at that point. However, Fang had other ideas. "The moment they saw Fang in his kennel, they felt something special," Betancourt said. "After taking him out for an interaction, they knew he was the one."
It was a reminder to Betancourt of something she has seen time-and-time again—"sometimes the dog picks the family."
Fang and his siblings were rescued as puppies.
Fang and his siblings were rescued as puppies.
TikTok/lifesavingpixie
Betancourt chronicled this old adage and Fang's heartwarming journey in a video posted to her TikTok account @lifesavingpixie.
She hopes it will inspire others to take a chance on dogs like Fang if they feel a connection. "I believe many adoptions happen just like that," she said. "More often than not, it's the dog that chooses the person...they're the ones who get adopted."
Though it's still early days, Betancourt is pleased to report that Fang is settling in well with his new family and has already undergone one major change since his shelter days. "Now that he's found his forever home, his new family renamed him Bruno, and it suits him perfectly," she said. "He's still just a big baby, only about 4 and a half months old."
The pup's story is a happy one and a reminder of the kind of unexpected joy that can be found simply by visiting your local animal shelter.
As Betancourt says: "Sometimes people come in just to visit or look around, and they end up leaving with a furry friend they didn't expect to fall in love with."
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