Clever Dog Secures Her Forever Home With Just A Single Smile
Life can be pretty tough for animals sometimes, right? Just think about all those kennels in shelters, each one holding a hopeful pup… It can really tug at your heartstrings, right?
They’re all waiting for someone to notice them, to pick them, and to give them a cozy bed and endless belly rubs.
But then you hear a story that cuts through the sadness and fills you with joy, like a warm ray of sunshine on a gloomy day. This is one of those stories, about a sweet dog named Cutie, whose bright smile changed everything.
One day, Liz Standley, a volunteer at Dallas Animal Services, was going about her usual routine, handing out treats and spreading some happiness.
On a typical day, she probably saw lots of wagging tails and some big puppy-dog eyes. But then, she suddenly stopped.
There, in one of the kennels, was a dog looking right at her, and not just looking, but smiling. It was a real, “Hey there, great to see you!” kind of smile. As she shared in an interview:
“She had this little smirk on her face.”
It was like this dog had a secret about how to win people over. And sure enough, this adorable pup named Cutie had completely charmed Liz.
That little smile was so infectious that Liz couldn’t help but open the kennel and shower Cutie with some much-needed love. It felt like the universe was telling her she needed a little bit of cuteness in her life.
And Cutie, bless her heart, was just as sweet as her smile made her seem. Liz added:
“She was exactly how I thought she would be based on her little smile. She was so friendly. She was wagging her tail and crawled right in my lap.”
Liz usually shares videos of shelter dogs to help them get adopted, but she hadn’t planned to film that day. However, when she met Cutie, she felt it was important to show this little bundle of joy to everyone.
After Liz shared the video of Cutie’s smile on TikTok, the story took a sad turn. Another volunteer told Liz about Cutie’s past, and it was pretty tough.
Turns out, just a few weeks earlier, Dallas had a really cold snap. Cutie’s rescuers found her wandering outside, trying to escape the freezing weather. Liz mentioned:
“After finding that out, I was like, ‘The fact that this dog still is excited to see people and has so much love to give and has a smile on her face just shows me how resilient pets are.'”
Liz was really hoping that Cutie’s adorable smile would help her get adopted quickly, but you never know what will happen in a shelter.
However, just a few days later, Liz checked the Dallas Animal Services adoption website and noticed that Cutie’s profile was missing! Could it be? Did her smile actually work?
As a volunteer, Liz doesn’t always find out where the animals go, so she thought she might never know what happened to Cutie.
But, this story has a super happy ending! Just when she had lost all hope and thought she would never find out what happened to her, Cutie’s new family reached out to Liz!
They shared that it was the video of Cutie smiling that convinced them to adopt her. They even realized that Cutie, who they now renamed Frida, looked a lot like their other dog. Liz added:
“They told me she’s doing just great. She’s integrated into the family just perfectly.”
Frida is now living her best life, wrapped in cozy blankets and surrounded by all the love she could ever need. After everything she went through, she’s definitely making up for lost time.
Thanks to her wonderful new family, she’ll never feel cold again. It all began with just a friendly smile, and look at how much of an impact it can have!
