Connect with us

Cute Animals

Man camps out at shelter to make sure he goes home with his favorite dog

Published

on

  • Elliot, a stray dog, was brought to Palm Springs Animal Shelter.
  • He was put in foster care to help him transition to being an inside dog.
  • It was there that he met Dr. Eberhart, who later adopted him. 

After Dr. Brian Eberhart met Elliot for the first time, he knew he’d go above and beyond to ensure he can take the dog home one day. 

In early March, the border collie puppy arrived at Palm Springs Animal Shelter as a stray. His sorrowful eyes melted the hearts of everyone he met, despite his shyness and fear of most people.

Elliot was placed in a foster home to help him transition to life as an inside dog, and it was there that he met Dr. Eberhart, a retired orthodontist. Dr. Eberhart’s neighbor was Elliot’s foster guardian, according to Anthony Mercurio, Palm Springs Animal Shelter’s marketing and communications manager, so he had already seen Elliot when he was in foster care and had the opportunity to meet and fall in love with him.

Dr. Eberhart made sure he was first in line at the shelter when Elliot became available for adoption.

Employees at the shelter were surprised to arrive at work early that morning to see Dr. Eberhart seated in a folding chair near the front door, reading a book.

Elliot, on the other hand, was worth the wait for Dr. Eberhart.

“We noticed Dr. Eberhart camped out in front of the shelter … and found out he was there to adopt Elliot,” Mercurio said. “Other people came by that morning as well, but once they found out that we didn’t open until 1 p.m. that day, they gave up and left.”

Dr. Eberhart stayed on his seat until Elliot was ready to see him, and the small dog couldn’t control his joy when he recognized who was waiting for him. Mercurio said the meeting between the two was happy and playful, and that the match was very evident. 

Elliot was renamed Leo — an acronym for “Love Each Other” — after going home with Dr. Eberhart that day. The little puppy always wants to be near his new mom and dad. He loves snuggling on the couch or nibbling at his dad’s heels.

Advertisement

“He is a smart, playful and happy boy who must always have eyes on his humans,” Mercurio said.

Mercurio and everyone who has followed Leo and Dr. Eberhart’s journey can see that they will have the most wonderful life together.

Source: The Dodo

Advertisement

Trending