Hearts are breaking for a dog who started to give up hope after living at an animal rescue for over 1,000 days awaiting his forever home.
The Vanderpump Dog Foundation in Los Angeles rescued Rex, the 5-year-old Chihuahua mix, from a high-kill shelter three years ago after his family surrendered him. Every day since then, he's been patiently waiting for his forever family to come forward. But day in-and-day-out, he's learned "nobody ever chooses him."
A November 4 TikTok video shared to the account @savethedogs showed Rex huddled in the corner of his kennel. He became used to people walking past him without acknowledging him and stopped greeting them, accepting he would never get adopted.
Hollywood music agent Nima Nasseri, who started the TikTok account to raise awareness of adoptable dogs in the area, told Newsweek that Rex had not received one application during his entire time at the Vanderpump Dog Foundation. He noted Rex can be "temperamental."
"He can get a little snappy," Nasseri said. "But when I visited and reached my hand in, he was calm and when he went to a trainer with 10 dogs, he was wonderful and so different."
Rex has a few fear-based issues, according to his description on the rescue's website. However, once he feels he can trust you, he's a loving dog who loves snuggles and belly rubs.
Within a few days of Nasseri posting Rex's story, the Vanderpump Dog Foundation received 10 applications for him. Nasseri said people were coming to meet him over the weekend.
The power of social media left Nasseri speechless. Rex's video was the first one he posted and in a matter of days, it reached 528,900 views and 72,600 likes.
"Please TIkTok, find this sweet baby a forever home," commented one TikTok user, with another writing: "That's crazyyyyy he's the cutest little thing I've ever seen."
Nasseri learned that TikTok can give these animals "some light and hope" and he hopes to continue his newly created account. His heart is set on saving more animals and opening his own rescue and training facility in 2025.
He plans for the training facility to be run by a 71-year-old man he befriended last year who has been experiencing homelessness. Nasseri first started talking to the man about the dog he rescued from a shelter in Long Beach. Nasseri could see the love pouring out of him for his dog.
The conversation revealed the man used to be a dog trainer. He's been homeless for several years and Nasseri wanted to help him get back on his feet. Nasseri started a GoFundMe page to help raise money for the man to live in a studio apartment for at least a year and together they'll launch the training business.
But until then, Nasseri will continue spreading the word about adoptable dogs like Rex because he believes they all deserve a chance.
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