A shelter dog who once broke hearts with his sad return to his kennel after an adventure with a volunteer has finally found his forever home, and the emotional moment has delighted social media users.
In a newly released TikTok video shared on Sunday by @juliesaraceno2, Delano, a 2-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier/Boston terrier mix, can be seen wagging his tail as he walks out the shelter for the last time, with the people he now calls family.
“[Three] days ago I posted bringing shelter dog Delano back from one of my adventures and how sad he was. After going viral, he got a lot of interest. Today he had his first meet and greet with a potential adopter,” reads layover text in the clip.
“To the surprise of no one… they loved him. And they made it official. He said his goodbyes to staff. And he left the shelter for the last time. He even gets a new sibling. Go live your best life Delano.”
@juliesaraceno2 and Benton-Franklin Humane Society, Kennewick
Julie Saraceno told Newsweek that Delano originally arrived to the Benton-Franklin Humane Society, in Kennewick, Washington, in July of 2024, and was then adopted for seven months but sadly it didn’t work out and they returned him in March.
“A couple weeks ago, I asked one of the staff members who I should take out on an adventure (I do one per week), and they nominated Delano. He’s been looking quite sad in his kennel, so I was more than happy to take him out to cheer him up,” Saraceno said.
“He literally skipped out of the shelter cause he was so happy for a break! But when we got back, he looked visibly sad. It is the reality of these adventures that they love the break, and it helps them to de-stress, but it’s also sad when I have to take them back.”
The number of animals in shelters is slowly beginning to decline, thanks to an increase in owners choosing to adopt their fur-babies instead of buying them.
The number of animals entering shelters in 2024 was around 5.8 million, down from 6.3 million the previous year, according to the American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Euthanasia rates are also declining, with 607,000 animals euthanized in 2024, compared to 920,000 in 2023.
The video quickly went viral on TikTok and it has so far received over 2.9 million views and 562,100 likes on the platform.
One user, Kali, commented: “Wait I’m crying at how he was so happy to see a friend in the car his new sibling.”
Latrice2 said: “Why did I cry when he climbed up there to say good bye.”
AliceMckenzie wrote: “I’m SOBBING I have been thinking about him since the first video. Him wagging his tail the whole time.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
