Latest news with #MuddyPawsRescue
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tiki the Dog Finds a New Home! Once-Timid Rescue Ready to 'Settle in' with New Family After Going Viral (Exclusive)
Isabel Klee came across Tiki through a call from a friend at Muddy Paws Rescue She fostered the dog, and shared his story on social media, where it went viral Recently, she shared how Tiki has officially been adopted by new ownersTiki the dog has found his new home! Tiki's new owners, Vince and Aubrie, first came across the dog's story on Isabel Klee's Instagram — and fell in love from day one. At the time, neither of them were on TikTok, so they had no idea just how many people had been rooting for the pup behind the scenes. "I had a sense of what to expect, and I'm grateful Isabel shared so much," Aubrie tells PEOPLE exclusively. "We knew Tiki would need more care and patience than our other dogs, but that only makes each step forward feel even more rewarding." "We've been dog owners for 10 years, and our first pup, Meyer, was also a rescue with his own set of challenges," Vince adds. "Tiki reminds us of that experience, but Isabel has been incredible; always available to offer guidance or reassurance as we help Tiki adjust." Klee, 25, originally came across Tiki through a call from a friend at Muddy Paws Rescue. The ASPCA had just pulled several dogs from a neglect case and was urgently seeking fosters. A longtime foster dog mom herself, the Brooklyn, N.Y., local took him in and began documenting his progress on social media. His story quickly resonated, amassing millions of views — even catching the attention of Kyle Kelce. "Tiki taught me patience in a way I had never experienced before," Klee tells PEOPLE exclusively. "It took me 13 days to even touch this dog, and it took everything in me to respect his boundaries and go at his pace. My reward for being patient was his unwavering love and devotion, and all I had to do was listen to his cues." For Klee, she says the journey was deeply personal and life-changing. So it was no surprise that emotions ran high the day Vince and Aubrie arrived to take Tiki home. Leading up to his adoption day, she spent time cuddling with Tiki, staying as close as she could. The day before his adoption she even took Tiki on his very first walk around the block, and for her that was the final piece of the puzzle. Seeing him explore Brooklyn confidently was the sign she needed that he was ready for his next adventure. "Tiki was so confident during the handoff — more so than I'd ever seen him with strangers," she adds. "He let his new mom and dad pet him, played fetch, and even did his signature 'rubbies' on the carpet, which he's never done around people he doesn't know. His confidence and comfortability with them made me feel so at ease about his transition.""I couldn't stop crying, and Tiki just sat calmly in my lap and comforted me," Klee tells PEOPLE exclusively. "I felt like it was his way of assuring me that my job with him was done, and that he would be okay." Since bringing Tiki home, Vince and Aubrie say the adjustment has been slow but steady. Like many rescue dogs in unfamiliar surroundings, Tiki needed time to feel safe. On his first day, he slept under their bed and showed no interest in food that morning. But by dinnertime, he finished his full meal — a moment that felt like a major victory for his new family. 'We've made sure to give him plenty of space and let him settle at his own pace," Vince says. "From day one, he decided our bed was his safe zone — he spent the whole first day underneath it. We eventually set up a pen connected to the front of the bed so he'd have a safe, cozy space outside of just under the bed. Whenever he feels overwhelmed, that's where he goes to decompress.' 'A big win for me has been watching him eat, drink and go to the bathroom regularly,' Aubrie adds. "Given his history, we weren't sure how long it would take for him to feel comfortable doing those things. Watching him eat his first dinner and hearing him drink water was such a relief. With rescue dogs, the smallest milestones are the biggest victories.' Looking ahead, Vince and Aubrie say they don't have expectations for Tiki — just hopes. They want to see him truly thrive for the first time: running around the yard, going on walks and enjoying the company of the many dogs who come through their home. "We just want him to keep feeling safe, building confidence and exploring the world around him," Aubrie says. "As he settles in, we know he'll show us who he truly is." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. At first, the couple wasn't sure whether they would continue sharing Tiki's journey online. They both work full-time from home and don't post much on social media. But they quickly realized how invested the Internet has become in his story. "The support he's received has been incredible," Vince says. "People love an underdog story … and his is the ultimate. We're happy to keep sharing it. Eventually, we'd love to use his platform to raise awareness for animal rescue and rehabilitation — continuing the amazing work Isabel has started." "Like everyone else, we looked forward to Tiki updates from Isabel," Aubrie adds. "He gave people hope during hard times, and now we get to carry that torch. Tiki's story shows that with love and patience, even the most fearful dogs can thrive. We'll absolutely be sharing glimpses of his life, because his story can help other dogs and humans alike." Although the transition went smoothly, Klee recently took to TikTok to share how she's faced some criticism for parting ways with Tiki too quickly, which has upset her. In the video, she clarifies some people's concerns and her own hopes for Tiki moving forward. "Fostering Tiki changed everything," Klee says. "He changed my life, he changed the lives of so many other rescue dogs, and I think he changed the world in some small way. I hope he's taught people to be kinder and more patient." "I LOVE his new parents and love that they have two older, confident dogs who will help Tiki feel more comfortable. I truly cherish staying in touch with my previous fosters — I get a new photo from one of them almost daily!" she adds. To keep up with Tiki's journey, follow @tikiplustwo on TikTok and Instagram. Read the original article on People
USA Today
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Internet celebrity Tiki is up for adoption. The waitlist is full.
Internet celebrity Tiki is up for adoption. The waitlist is full. Show Caption Hide Caption Foster dog Tiki's viral TikTok journey from fear to affection, and now, adoption Tiki, a rescue dog in Los Angeles, overcomes his traumatic past with love and patience. Now, he's ready for adoption, with hundreds of hopeful applicants. Tiki, who melted millions of hearts with his innocence and recovery, is now up for adoption, his foster Isabel Klee said. The plot twist, however, is that applications and the waitlist are both full after the 5-year-old dog received more than 100 applications in just the first hour alone. The pooch, who got a new lease on life after he was rescued from dire circumstances, became social media famous after Klee documented his journey on TikTok, with some of the videos garnering millions of views. "The response has been so heartwarming," Klee, a content creator and upcoming author based in Brooklyn, told USA TODAY. "The world can be a really harsh place, especially right now. There's a lot going on, and I think everybody just kind of needed this story that was feel good and hopeful to turn to." Tiki's virality also helped New York-based Muddy Paws Rescue, who connected Klee with Tiki, raise over $200,000 through Tiki-themed merchandise and donations, Klee said. Tiki refused to leave his bed when he first came home When Klee first brought him home, Tiki did not eat, drink or leave his bed even to go to the bathroom. Klee was unable to reveal the circumstances in which Tiki was rescued due to privacy concerns, but said she was made aware of the situation, which wasn't very great, when she picked him up for fostering. "There was this big fear he wouldn't get better," Klee said. "There were nights when I would just lay awake looking at my ceiling, wondering what the outcome would be." "Before I picked him up, ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) told us this dog was in really bad shape, and they didn't know if he was going to be able to be rehabilitated," Klee said. "We didn't know what his outcome would be. But Muddy Paws Rescue and I decided to pull him anyway, because I feel all dogs deserve the chance to get better, and a lot of dogs can't get better in a shelter environment, because it can be really stressful." Slowly but steadily, things started looking up. "Day by day, he did get better," Klee said. "I kind of just sat back and learned to exist with him. I didn't push him. I let him come out of his shell on his own." It started with Tiki first only putting his paw outside the crate. Then he started drinking water, then eating. "Every day it was something new, until eventually he was crawling into my lap and asking for cuddles," Klee said. "It happened really slowly, but day by day, he got braver and braver." Curious little pup Klee said it took almost 13 days for her to touch Tiki for the first time because of how hesitant he was. But when it finally happened, "it was well worth the wait." After more than a month in Klee's care, Tiki is now also getting warmed up to being around other people and pets. While he isn't entirely comfortable in their presence, like when Klee has people over, he does come outside and hangs out with them, observing everybody. "He is very curious," Klee said. "He met my mom and allowed her to give him kisses and pets. Every single day with every person he meets, he gets a little braver, and he comes out of his shell a little bit more." Tiki's favorite things As Tiki came out of his shell, one of his favorite things to do is sit with dirty laundry. "He's obsessed with our dirty laundry," Klee laughed. "It sounds really funny, but he'll go into the hamper and take out, like a shirt that I wore and cuddle with it, which is just the cutest thing. He also loves our shoes. It's like he loves to cuddle with the things that smell like us. He never destroys them, he just likes to sit with them." As for his favorite snack, "he's obsessed with cheese," mostly cheddar, Klee said. Tiki and Simon Klee may be putting in most of the effort, but Tiki's favorite person in the house is her 6-year-old dog Simon, who she adopted after fostering him when he was just a little puppy. "Simon is the best partner in fostering," Klee gushed. "He is just so patient (and) understanding. He gets it. He understands these dogs need help and teaches them to be a dog again." Klee credited Simon with teaching Tiki how to play with toys and encouraging Tiki to go outside for the first time. "Having a confident dog in the house is just like the best possible thing when you're fostering a fearful dog," Klee shared. Isabel and Simon have fostered 20 dogs together Klee and Simon have fostered 20 dogs together, though Klee has been fostering dogs for much longer. The content creator shared she's been fostering dogs since she was 25 but took a long break when she adopted Simon after fostering him. "Simon has a lot of complicated health issues so I stopped fostering for a number of years, and then picked it back up about two years ago," Klee said, adding the two have now fostered 20 dogs together. Depending on the dog's need, fosters have been as short as a few days and as long as two months. "It's been a lot, (but) I find it so rewarding," Klee said. "Of course, there are difficult moments, but I think the joyful moments far outweigh it." She added: "Tiki is such a great example. Four weeks (in) and he's a completely different dog. Just being that vessel for change and seeing them grow over a short amount of time is the most magical thing." Tips for fostering For anyone looking into fostering dogs, Klee's word of advice would be to have patience. "Patience is the most important thing," Klee, who is also in process of writing a book on fostering, said. "Whether that's being frustrated that the dog is peeing inside, or that they're barking at you or, whatever it may be. Just come at it with patience and the understanding that this dog is in a brand-new space, and (that) it's scary and terrifying (for them)." Tiki is not going to be with Klee much longer, given the overwhelming response received on his adoption application. However, an adoption doesn't mean their relationship would come to an end. Klee shared she always exchanges information with any family that adopts the dogs she has fostered, and "most of them still keep in touch" with her. "I get pictures all the time," Klee said, adding it is up to the adopter on whether they want to keep a relationship with her. "Luckily most people find the dogs through my page, so they usually do want to keep in touch. I'm very happy about that." Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
