I’m sure everyone knows how long 12 years can feel. Now, imagine how much longer that seems in dog years!
In that time, dogs forget almost everything else, except for the comfort of knowing they have a human who loves and protects them. So, when all of that disappears, it’s devastating.
There are many reasons people give up their dogs, but what’s often forgotten is the emotional toll it takes on the pups when they realize their best friend won’t be around for cuddles or treats anymore.
Sadly, Tito, a lovable senior dog from Texas, understands this all too well.
Why Would You Leave Me?
As Tito was getting close to celebrating his 13th birthday, he never expected the sad turn things were about to take.
His family was getting ready to move and decided they no longer had space for Tito, so they brought him back to the same shelter he was adopted from years ago.
“When Tito first arrived at the shelter, he was very stressed, constantly shaking and hesitant to be touched. To help him feel safe, I started bringing him out of his kennel to spend time in reception with my coworkers and I. He’s been doing great up in reception. He seems to be more social and less scared,” Aileen Betancourt, an adoption specialist, said in an interview.
Spending time around the reception desk with people reminded Tito just how much he loved affection and attention.
“Tito is a sweet boy. He enjoys his naps and walks,” she added.
The Most Heartwarming Reunion
What truly helped Tito move forward from his painful past was reuniting with his old buddy, Teddy: a four-year-old cat who had also been surrendered by the same family.
The second Tito saw Teddy, his excitement was impossible to miss. His entire body wagged with joy.
“Right away, Tito’s tail started wagging, and he got so excited, even jumping around. As far as Teddy, we couldn’t place him on the floor since we didn’t want him to get startled with all the noises around, but he showed a sense of comfort around Tito, which was something Teddy wasn’t showing around other cats,” Betancourt said.
Their reunion moved not just the shelter team, but also TikTok viewers, to tears. Everyone wanted the two friends to find a family again.
So the team at the Texas shelter jumped into action, posting about Tito on all their social media accounts in hopes that someone would fall in love with him and take him in.
And that’s exactly what happened.
Just a few days later, someone reached out and said Tito was the perfect dog for them. Soon after, Tito headed off to a new home where he could finally leave the sadness behind and look ahead to a brighter future.