Social media can change lives, and it did for this lonely pup. Sarge, the longest resident of Orange County Animal Services in Orlando, Florida, was struggling to find a forever home. It seemed, no one wanted him. But when a TikTok video documenting his sadness took the Internet by storm, Sarge was up for his happily ever after with a perfect new family.
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Struggling in the kennel
Sarge was the longest resident at the shelter and was struggling to find a forever home. The pup felt unwanted, and the whole world could see his sad face after photographer and content creator Albert Harris posted a heartbreaking TikTok video where the pooch was ignored as potential adopters were passing by him without paying attention.
The text overlay on the video read:
POV: You're the longest resident slowly losing hope because you're being ignored and not being that desirable dog people want.
@aharrisphoto Imagine being in a kennel with no to little interaction. This is the case for Sarge. Let’s get him a home. #adoptdontshop#animalshelter#shelterdog#dogtok
♬ original sound - sweetsaudioz
Harris's post on Instagram said:
Hey you! Meet Sarge, a sweetie pie and is our longest resident at our shelter. He is struggling to get an interaction from the public. He is indeed a volunteer favorite but day by day goes by without any interest and it is starting to show as his smile has gone to sadness as people just walk by as if he doesn’t exist. Dogs like Sarge don’t deserve this and he needs your help. Sadly to many people, he’s not a desirable dog but to us he is perfect. It’s up to us to fight for him because no one else will.
Viewed more than 3 million times
According to Albert Harris who has been working for the local animal services for the last five years and often posts video updates from the shelter, TikTok and Instagram reels have been very helpful in getting animals adopted.
Unsurprisingly, a video of lonely and unwanted Sarge went viral and has captured the online community’s hearts after being viewed more than 3 million times.
People commented, shared, wished ‘sweet doggie’ Sarge well, and said they'd ‘adopt him in a heartbeat’ if they lived nearby.
A loving home at last
Animal lover Christy Ditto spotted Sarge on the shelter’s website a month earlier. The pup drew her attention right away. She thought he ‘was gorgeous and looked super sad’ and would make a great canine companion. She was in doubt her husband would support her idea to ‘bring home this old guy’ and didn’t go ahead.
To Christy’s surprise, it was her husband who sent her a picture of Sarge after his video went viral. In disbelief that no one had adopted ‘this poor guy’ yet, the couple agreed and immediately contacted Orange County Animal Services to let them know they were on the way.
Christy told Newsweek:
It was 100 percent meant to be.
‘He has stolen our heart for sure’
Sarge settled in with his new family in no time.
He has delighted his special humans and is spending his days enjoying playtime and being showered in cuddles.
Christy said:
He is like having a best friend with you all the time and he is the most loving. He has stolen our hearts for sure.
Sources used:
- Newsweek: 'Camera in Kennel Shows View of Shelter's Longest-Serving Dog: 'Ignored''
- Newsweek: 'Shelter's Longest-Serving Dog Adopted After Viral Clip Shows He's 'Ignored''
Read more:
⋙ Rescue's plea as this anxious pup was adopted just to be dumped back at the shelter a week later
⋙ Rescue's plea as no one wants to adopt this Lonely Hearts Club pup who spent whole life in shelter
⋙ This abused elderly pup changed his foster mum's life so much she adopted him
