There wasn’t a dry eye left on the internet after a woman shared a video about meeting and adopting a dog who was about to be given to a shelter.
Earlier this month, Christina Podolyan, 25, was told by her partner Leish that they were on a surprise day trip, which turned out to be to an RSPCA shelter. When they walked in, Podolyan spotted a man at the front desk with a puppy who was “beyond happy and excited.” She congratulated him on his new rescue dog, but she said News week that his response left him heartbroken.
“He responded by saying that unfortunately he was there to do the opposite and that he had decided to return it,” said Podolyan, from Melbourne, Australia. “I had to step aside as I was quite moved to hear this, and I went to the nearest toilet.”
After composing themselves, Generation Zers – people born between 1997 and 2012 – headed back outside just in time to catch the man before he left. She was told to go to another shelter because the RSPCA was full. But Podolyan insisted that was not necessary, as she volunteered to take home the Staffordshire bull terrier and the American pitbull cross.
@christinapodolyan / TikTok
The man’s partner was ill in hospital and he could no longer care for the dog, who was originally named Kara, so he was “desperate to get rid of” the animal. He gave her to Podolyan for free and she promised to take Kara in until she found a forever home.
They didn’t realize she had already done it.
“We know shelters are inundated with her breed, so the likelihood of her being adopted doesn’t seem realistic,” she continued. “As soon as I saw the way she was looking at us, I realized that this poor puppy had absolutely no idea what she was about to get into.
“Dogs have no idea why they are abandoned and that memory stays with them forever. She has to be the sweetest girl we have ever met, and we could never live with ourselves if we let it break like that.”
The dog was renamed Bambi and it was clear from the start that she was completely in love with her new owners. She never left their side and loved to snuggle up on their knees.
After just one day together, Podolyan captured an adorable video of Bambi lying on top of her and looking incredibly affectionate. She shared the clip on her TikTok account, @christinapodolyan, explaining that Bambi had been abandoned by her previous owner just 24 hours before and “this is how she looks at me now.”
The video melted hearts online, gaining over 398,000 views and 59,100 likes in just a few days.
Podolyan said News week that she was “so emotional” when she took the video because Bambi was only supposed to be a temporary foster family. But the dog made such a lasting impression in such a short time that there was no way she could give him up.
She said: “I was so in love with her and the thought of her leaving with someone else made me cry. So we decided she would be in her forever home with us. The world works in mysterious ways, and I think it’s also by chance that we’re in the same place at the same time and it’s not destiny.
Although she didn’t expect her video to garner so much attention online, Podolyan hopes it will encourage more people to adopt a pet and give them a loving home. With many shelters filled to capacity, countless animals are in need of saving, and Podolyan has seen firsthand how special the bond can be during a rescue.
“If you are looking for a four-legged companion, consider a rescue. Puppies will be adopted anyway, but you have the opportunity to change the life of an animal in need. Trust me, they will will always remember you as their hero,” she said.
Many responses to her video thanked her for adopting Bambi and saving his life at a shelter.
One person said: “This puppy is so grateful. I don’t think she can leave…she will be happy wherever you are.”
Another TikToker wrote: “You guys found each other in this life. Soul mates.”
While one person added: “You’re healing her broken heart and she’s so grateful.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or photos of your pet that you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pets of the Week lineup.
