Many of us have gotten in line early for something we really want, hoping to beat the crowds and be one of the first: nabbing concert tickets or a newly-released phone, for instance.
But wouldn’t it be nice if people were that eager to adopt pets? Imagine a world where people line up outside before shelters even open just for a chance to adopt the dog of their dreams.
Well that’s what happened at one shelter recently, as one man lined up early to make sure a beautiful shelter puppy would be his.
According to The Dodo, Elliot, a border collie puppy, was spotted as a stray and wound up in Palm Springs Animal Shelter in March.
The scared, hesitant dog was placed in a foster home until he could be adopted, and while there, he made an impression on the foster’s next-door neighbor, Dr. Brian Eberhart.
“He got the chance to get to know Elliot before he was accessible and fell in love,” the shelter’s Anthony Mercurio told Newsweek.
So when Elliot was put up for adoption, Dr. Eberhart knew he had to be the one to adopt the puppy — and he went to great lengths to ensure that no one else claimed the dog before him.
The shelter didn’t open until 1 p.m. on the day Elliot was up for adoption, but he waited outside for five hours before it did, guaranteeing that he’d be the first in line.
“When we first opened, he was there from roughly 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.” “We noticed his lounge setup outside and just had to chat to him,” Mercurio told Newsweek. “We found out he was there to ensure he had a chance to adopt Elliot.”
Dr. Eberhart sat in a folding chair outside, reading a book. “Just before noon, his wife relieved him for a restroom break.” “It was a collaborative effort,” Mercurio explained.
When it came to adopting a dog, he was unquestionably more committed than the majority of people. “Other individuals came by the morning as well,” Mercurio told The Dodo, “but once they found out that we didn’t open until 1 p.m. that day, they gave up and went.”
Thankfully, his perseverance paid off, and Eberhart was given the opportunity to adopt Elliot first. Elliot’s reaction was enough to indicate that he was the perfect owner for the puppy if his camping outside wasn’t enough.
@palmspringsanimalshelter We’re not crying, you are😢 #adoptionstories #puppiesoftiktok #dogsofttiktok #doglover #adopt #animalshelter #shelterdog #cute #realmvp #fyp #foreverhome #palmspringsanimalshelter #peopleareawesome #dog #puppy ♬ Steven Universe – L.Dre
“Elliot acted as though he was reuniting with an old buddy, and we could see there was a connection!” Mercurio remarked.
Dr. Eberhart took Elliot home that day and gave him the name “Leo.” It stands for “Love Each Other,” according to The Dodo.
Following the virality of the touching moment, Eberhart created his own TikTok account to document his trips with Leo.
@drbrianeberhartandleo Your daily pupdate! We are becoming the best of friends 🐾❤️ #puppiesoftiktok #pupdate #adoptdontshop #puppylove #californiahoosier #palmsprings #puppylove #bordercollie ♬ BestFriend – ThemBrothers
The man and dog appear to be very happy together in the videos, and they can frequently be seen relaxing together around the house.
“Life is better when you share it,” Eberhart wrote.
What a touching story. This dad clearly adores his new puppy, and we know they will be loyal to each other for the rest of their lives.
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