Guy Camps Out At Shelter So He Can Adopt His Favorite Dog
"Elliot acted like he was being reunited with an old friend" ❤️
When Dr. Brian Eberhart met Elliot, he knew he’d go above and beyond to make sure the puppy went home with him.
The border collie puppy arrived at Palm Springs Animal Shelter as a stray in early March. He was shy and scared of most people, and his sad eyes melted the hearts of everyone he met.
Elliot went to a foster home to adjust to being an inside dog, and that’s where he met Dr. Eberhart, a retired orthodontist. “Dr. Eberhart's neighbor was Elliot's foster guardian, so he had already met Elliot while he was in foster and had the opportunity to get to know and fall in love with him,” Anthony Mercurio, marketing and communications manager for Palm Springs Animal Shelter, told The Dodo.
When Elliot became available for adoption, Dr. Eberhart made sure he was first in line at the shelter.
Early that morning, shelter employees were surprised to arrive at work and find Dr. Eberhart sitting in a folding chair, reading a book by the front door. But for Dr. Eberhart, Elliot was worth the wait.
“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 didn’t leave his perch until it was time to meet Elliot, and the little dog could hardly contain his excitement when he realized who was there to see him. “It was a happy and playful meet and greet from the start,” Mercurio said. “Elliot acted like he was being reunited with an old friend and it was obvious to us that there was a match there!”
You can watch their sweet meet and greet here:
Elliot went home with Dr. Eberhart that day, and has since been renamed Leo — an acronym for "Love Each Other." Since finding his forever family, the little dog always wants to be close to his new mom and dad, whether snuggling on the couch or nipping at his dad's heels.
“He is a smart, playful and happy boy who must always have eyes on his humans,” Mercurio said.
It's clear to Mercurio and everyone who's followed Leo and Dr. Eberhart's journey that they're going to have the happiest life together.
