A former stray dog named Elvis was the only animal not adopted at a Chicago shelter – but his heartbreaking ordeal finally brought him to his forever family when he was taken in by none other than a former Elvis impersonator.
The 3-year-old pit bull mix had to return to its kennel at Chicago’s Anti-Cruelty Society (ACS) after 22 other dogs and 39 cats at the rescue organization’s Nov. 11 fall adoption event found homes.
ACS shared a photo of Elvis – described as a “meatball” and “helper” with the “silliest personality” – peering through his cage door next to a row of empty barns on Facebook in hopes of finding him a home.
“Elvis was the only dog who did not find a home during our Fall in Love adoption event,” the shelter wrote. “He met many prospective adoptees but unfortunately did not become an adoptee. Help us find a family Elvis to love!”
The rescue said the puppy, a pit bull-terrier mix, is potty trained, crate trained and knows how to sit and lie down on command and has been at the shelter for several months.
His sad story also got local news coverage.
“His giant smile lit up every room he walked into,” ACS added next to a cute photo of Elvis smiling with his eyes closed and tongue sticking out.
Elvis was the only dog not adopted at the fall adoption event where 61 dogs and cats found forever homes. 10 Local News/Anti-Cruelty Society The pit bull terrier mix was adopted just days later after his now-parents saw a heartbreaking story on the local news. News 10 Local/Community Anti-Cruelty
The photo plus a coincidence that felt like fate brought Elvis to his people, including a former Elvis impersonator.
“His customers have been waiting for the right time to welcome a dog into their family and once they saw Elvis on the news, they couldn’t deny that it was destiny!” ACS wrote in their update titled “Elvis has LEFT the building!”
One of Elvis’ new fathers, Loren Agron, 39, worked as a waiter impersonating Elvis at Ed Debevic’s, a 1950s-themed restaurant where staff entertain customers with choreographed dance routines at the soda counter, according to the Washington Post.
Agron, who now manages the restaurant, told the outlet he dressed like the King with a black cowboy shirt, “classic giant Elvis sunglasses,” long sideburns and prominent hair and called himself “Elvis Parsley” from 2005 to 2007.
“Elvis has always been a big part of my life because I’ve always loved music from that era,” he added.
Animal rescue organizations hope Elvis’ story inspires others to adopt the many dogs waiting to find their forever homes. Local News 10/Anti-Cruelty Association
Argon headed to the shelter to meet Elvis the dog the next day and was immediately smitten with the gray and white puppy.
“I loved him right away,” Agron said. “Having a puppy named Elvis seems like a perfect fit.”
He later returned to the shelter with his partner Drew Wilhelm, who first saw the post about Elvis, and the couple adopted him that day, Nov. 17.
“When we sat in the waiting room to meet him, I felt like a father waiting for his newborn son to arrive,” Wilhelm, the 43-year-old manager of a Chicago cocktail lounge, told the newspaper.
“As soon as I saw it, I knew it was our dog,” she said. “When no one else wanted him, we found him. We are all a bunch of misfits.”
Wilhelm described Elvis as “just a cute goofball” who liked to relax and took up most of the bed.
The couple and ACS hope Elvis’ story can inspire others to adopt.
The nonprofit’s senior director of marketing and communications told the Washington Post that the ACS team was devastated for Elvis when he was the only one left after their adoption event.
“We are grateful that people across the country are now invested in Elvis’ story, and we cannot stress enough that we see dogs like Elvis waiting for forever homes every day,” he said.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
