A senior dachshund who was surrendered because of an alleged bite has found her forever home, and now she is living her best life.
Dog owner Whitney West, 36, took to TikTok (@wwest___) to share an adorable video of the newest member of her family, Andi, a 10-year-old dachshund. Although her life was turned upside down last year, the dog has settled into her new home perfectly, and she certainly has plenty of love to offer.
Andi spent the entirety of her life with her previous owner, but in November 2024 she was surrendered to Norfolk Animal Shelter because she supposedly bit the owner's boyfriend. West, from Virginia, told Newsweek that she "did not receive any bite proof" however, and has seen no evidence of that behavior since adopting Andi.
"She had spent her whole life with a female, but she bit the boyfriend and so was dropped off at the animal shelter last year," West said. "But she has settled into our home wonderfully. She loves my kids and my husband, and she has two other dachshund brothers to play with and cuddle with."
Andi had to spend a few weeks in the shelter before eventually finding her forever home with West. But, now, she couldn't be happier with her new family, and she especially loves spending time with West's three children and two senior dogs, both aged 12.
The TikTok clip, shared on January 7, showed Andi snuggled up on the couch beside West's daughter. Seeing how content the pair looked together delighted internet users, and the video went viral with over 116,000 views and more than 10,000 likes in a matter of days.
Layered over the footage, the caption reads: "When you were dumped at the shelter for a bite hold at 10 years old, and now you live the comfiest life with 5 people who are obsessed with you."
In the months since bringing Andi into her home, West said she hasn't seen any aggressive behavior or tendencies. She added that she believes the bite was fabricated and that Andi's previous owners may have lied when surrendering the senior dog.
West told Newsweek: "I wanted to share her story to encourage other people to adopt older dogs because they are just the best. The online reaction has been amazing. Everyone seems to love her, and people have been telling me about the dachshunds and rescues that they adopted in the past."
After Andi's adoption went viral, West said she hopes that it will encourage more people to consider rescuing a senior pet in need of a home. They are not the most desirable shelter dogs, as West says they are "easily looked over," but they're still very deserving of love.
With over 140 comments on the TikTok post at the time of writing, many people praised West for giving Andi a second chance.
One comment reads: "Dachshunds are so misunderstood. They're such lovers, protectors, (stubborn) but they love hard. Thank you for taking this baby."
Another person wrote: "Awww … She hit the jackpot living her life with her new family. That is awesome."
A third commenter added: "Love can heal grumpys. She is with the family she trusts and loves."
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