Kids Shock Everyone With Dog They Adopt From Shelter—’Didn’t Want a Puppy’

A family have captured hearts by adopting a 13-year-old dog who had been waiting at the shelter for 5 months, giving him the perfect forever home.

Mr. Rogers is named after the late beloved television personality known for his kindness. He had spent five months at the Animal Protectors of Allegheny County shelter after being abandoned. His age and health challenges were proving a barrier to him finding a new home.

But despite his senior years, arthritis and tooth loss, Mr. Rogers continued to charm shelter volunteers with his gentle demeanor.

“Mr. Rogers had a hard time playing with the other dogs at the shelter because of his arthritis. An elderly female dog, Millie, came to the shelter so he had a friend to play with for a month. She was adopted last week so we were exceptionally excited to see him get adopted so quickly after she did.” Danielle Baughman, a volunteer at the shelter, told Newsweek.

The decision to adopt Mr. Rogers was not taken lightly by the family, who had visited him multiple times before making their final choice. “This family didn’t want a puppy. They wanted the rest of Mr. Rogers’ days. We’re so happy for them all,” Baughman said. She added that the family initially took Mr. Rogers home on a trial basis, but it quickly became clear that he had found his forever home.

“It’s heartwarming to see Mr. Rogers already so attached to the family, especially the kids,” Baughman said. “Those kids truly could have picked any dog and they picked our oldest one. An act of kindness they will carry for their lifetime.”

In the first half of 2024, just over 3.1 million animals entered U.S. shelters, according to Shelter Animals Count, a decrease from the same period in 2023. Despite this, the number of animals in shelters remains high—in the first half of 2024, 322,000 more pets entered shelters than exited them.

The shelter shared the heartwarming story in a video on TikTok where people were delighted to see Mr. Rogers find a new home.

“My parents only adopted seniors and I’ve carried the tradition. Senior pets are the BEST. So mellow, so snuggly, so happy to be there,” said one commenter.

And another viewer wrote: “There’s nothing quite like the love of a senior dog, especially when you pick them first. Mr. Rogers, you handsome devil, may your remaining days be filled with all the love.”

Do you have funny or 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.