Adorable dog gets a loving home after staying at shelter for 11 long years

Meet Pitufo, a dog in an Argentine shelter who recently got the ideal home despite all odds. The 14-year-old child is now experiencing love for the first time after more than ten years of waiting, and his expressions are melting everyone's heart. Pitufo's recent adoption feels miraculous to Silvina, co-founder of Hogar Corazón Animal in Moreno, Buenos Aires, as he tells The Dodo. There were already a few problems between Pitufo and his forever home when she first saved him in 2012.

When Pitufo first joined the Hogar Corazón team, he was about 5 years old and was seen as being inferior to a puppy. In addition to the fact that he was an adult, the shelter didn't have many opportunities to publicise him. According to Silvina, "Because we were a smaller organization, we didn't have much visibility, and social media wasn't really around." Finding homes for our dogs was incredibly difficult for them. Even when prospective adopters expressed interest, they frequently fell short of the shelter's standards. No matter how long it took, Silvina was determined to find her pups a family that truly loved them. She would often post about the same on social media, to draw attention to the scarcely displayed pooches.

"I’m really strict with the homes I adopt my dogs out to,” Silvina said. “I see them as my own children, and I wouldn’t trust my children with just anybody. I always look for the best for them.” After 10 years of trying to get the word out about Pitufo and vetting the few families who inquired about him, Silvina’s wish for the pup finally came true. On August 9, 2023, Pitufo met the family of his dreams: a loving couple named Estefania and Sebastian. In addition to a cozy home, Pitufo gained two amazing parents and a furry little cat sister.

Pitufo spent his entire life in the shelter, so Estefania and Sebastian anticipated that the pup would struggle to adapt to his new environment. Pitufo shocked them, though. Estefania and Sebastian admitted in a video to Silvina that the adoption would be challenging because Pitufo had never had a family or home. The couple added, "But it wasn’t. He took to us and his sister right away.”

Although Pitufo only met his new family a few weeks ago, they already feel like he has known them for a very long time. Now, he spends his days walking, cuddling, and going about his everyday activities as if he has been doing them for his whole 14-year life. The sweet, joyous youngster simply cannot stop grinning as a result. Silvina misses seeing her beloved Pitufo at the shelter, but she is thrilled that he has finally found happiness. Silvina affirmed, "It was the best choice because now Pitufo is so incredibly happy. People don't usually opt for adult animals while looking to adopt a pet, but we are so glad Estefanía and Sebastían did. It is only because of them that Pitufo, too, has a home now.