Rufus struggled to survive the streets day after day while searching for morsels of food and a quiet corner to rest his tired paws.
Although the street life was difficult, this two-year-old Shih Tzu never lost hope of finding a family and curling up in their loving arms.
It was the hope of realizing his greatest dream that gave him strength to keep going.
Fortunately, Rufus was rescued from the streets and brought to Carson Animal Shelter in California.
The adorable pup hoped that he would soon receive the love he always wished for.
Rufus Moves To A Foster Home
Jan Vega, the shelter’s volunteer, noticed him while he was standing in his shelter kennel with a sad expression on his face.
She could tell that Rufus desperately wanted a friend, so she took him out of his kennel and played with him in the yard.
The doggo delighted Vega. Although he was slightly visually impaired due to being born with a small eyeball, he was full of puppy energy and a real cuddle bug.
The kind-hearted volunteer knew that Rufus would be a perfect furry companion.
She posted several videos of the pooch in hopes that he would catch the attention of his future family.
Love At First Mutt Rescue, a dog rescue in Los Angeles, California, fell in love with Rufus. They offered to take him in if a great foster could be found.
Realizing that this could be the chance that Rufus was waiting for, Vega decided to foster the dog herself. The lovely Shih Tzu was her fourth foster dog.
She took Rufus home, determined to show him that life could be beautiful.
Vega treated him to his first puppuccino. The doggo was thrilled.
He enjoyed life with his foster mom.
The Pup Gets Overlooked
Three weeks after she brought Rufus home, his foster mom took him to an adoption event.
The lovely pup was hopeful that he would capture the heart of his forever family and finally find his happiness.
He came to the event all dressed-up, wearing a green sweater and a bandanna.
As Rufus watched other dogs meeting their forever families, he kept expecting that someone would give him the chance that he needed so badly.
When he realized that nobody chose him, Rufus’ hopeful eyes lost their spark. Sadness washed over him.
Feeling heartbroken for him, Vega took him home.
She shared a video of Rufus at the adoption event on her TikTok account.
Viewers were brokenhearted because the lovely boi experienced disappointment. They couldn’t believe that he didn’t get chosen.
Dreams Do Come True
The heartbreaking clip went viral and Love At First Mutt Rescue became swamped with adoption applications for him.
After the rescue took time to choose the perfect fit for Rufus, they organized a meet and greet with his current owner.
It was love at first sight.
The dog, who changed his name to Bino, feels incredibly happy with his two dads and a new Shih Tzu sibling.
He finally found the happiness that he always wished for.
Huge thanks to Vega and to Love At First Mutt Rescue for believing in this sweet pup and helping him realize his dream.