Earlier this year, officers with the Dallas Police Department were patrolling a neighborhood in southern Dallas, Texas, when they noticed a tiny animal curled up next to a dumpster.
At first glance, the little one’s caramel-colored fur and small, fragile body made her look like she could be a puppy. But the longer they looked, the less certain they became. Her face and features seemed to resemble a fox, or maybe even a young coyote.
The officers may not have known exactly what kind of animal they had found, but they understood the most important thing right away: she was scared, vulnerable, and needed help. So they stayed by her side until Dallas Animal Services and safely took her in.
A Mystery That Captivated The Public
News of the unusual find spread quickly, igniting a wave of speculation across social media and news outlets. Was this tiny creature a domestic dog, or had the officers stumbled upon a wild coyote pup?
Dallas Animal Services leaned toward the idea that she was a dog, but they couldn’t completely dismiss the possibility of her being a coyote. Her tan coat and large ears made the resemblance hard to ignore.
Jacqui Sutherland, a foster caregiver and officer with Dallas Animal Services, shared her thoughts with WFAA: “My money is on domestic. If I had money, it would be on domestic.”
Despite the educated guesses, the only way to settle the debate was through science. The team decided to conduct a DNA test to determine the animal’s true identity.
While waiting for the results, they gave their mysterious guest a name that matched her warm coloring: Toast.
The Results That Ended The Debate
After nearly two weeks of anticipation, Embark Vet delivered the results that everyone had been waiting for.
“Toast is a DOG! 🐶 As we suspected, she turned out to be a beautiful little mutt,” Dallas Animal Services announced on Facebook.
The DNA test revealed Toast’s genetic makeup:
42% German Shepherd
38% Siberian Husky
20% Australian Cattle Dog
For weeks, Toast had kept the internet guessing. But now the truth was clear. She wasn’t a wild animal, just a sweet puppy who had been surviving alone near a dumpster.
With the mystery solved, the next step was finding her a permanent home.
It happened almost instantly. Within five minutes of her adoption listing going live, Toast received the maximum number of applications. She was quickly matched with a family eager to welcome her into their lives.
“Toast has found a home, but the Dallas area is overwhelmed with dogs and many large-breed dogs and moms with pups are looking for fosters and forever homes,” Embark Vet reminded in their Facebook post.
Though Toast’s story ended with a joyful resolution, it also brought attention to the broader issue of abandoned dogs still waiting for their chance.
Thanks to one uniquely adorable pup, many other shelter dogs received a boost in visibility, and, hopefully, a better shot at finding loving homes.