Amber Rodriguez had decided her family’s roster of pets was full.
One dog, two cats and a rabbit seemed like plenty—until a chance encounter at a pet adoption event with her daughter stole her heart. In a TikTok video, Rodriguez documented her 13-year-old daughter’s instant connection with a gentle senior rescue dog.
Rodriguez, 39, spoke to Newsweek about the serendipitous bond between the two, and how she’s making room in her home for the family’s newest addition.
The video shows her daughter kneeling by a kennel, tenderly interacting with a husky mix. Later clips show the girl unable to stay away, eventually leading to the dog, now named Bruno, becoming a member of the household.
Photos from Amber Rodriguez’s TikTok video of her daughter and rescue dog.
@amber_rodriguez_sbeauty/TikTok
The encounter wasn’t planned. Rodriguez explained that after a Saturday morning workout session with her daughter, they spotted the adoption event in a nearby parking lot. “My daughter loves animals, especially dogs, so, spur of the moment, I drove into the parking lot instead of turning,” Rodriguez said.
What happened next felt almost fated.
“My daughter flew out of the vehicle and headed straight for one of the kennels on the end. It was a sweet senior husky mix dog,” Rodriguez said. “It was almost like a magnet pulled her over there and as if she was stuck in glue. She had no interest even walking by the other cages filled with sweet puppies and younger dogs of many different breeds.”
Despite the immediate bond, reality set in. Rodriguez said that while it warmed her heart to see her daughter interacting with the dog, it just wasn’t the right time. They left, but her mind was already figuring out ways to make it work.
“We watched as this senior dog was watching us leave with sad eyes, knowing he has probably felt those feelings more times than I can imagine,” Rodriguez said. “We tried to run a couple more errands, but my daughter couldn’t stop talking about the dog. It was continuous. Nonstop…She wanted to go back. She was begging to go back.”
‘They Chose Each Other’
Less than 30 minutes later, they returned.
“She ran even faster over to the cage this time and was practically hugging the cage,” Rodriguez said. “There were moments she would just hold her head next to his and it was almost as if both of them could breathe easier.”
Echoing comments on her video, she added, “Some people have commented on my video…that they are ‘soulmates‘ or ‘they chose each other’ and I couldn’t have said it better. That is exactly what I witnessed that day.”
After getting approval from her husband via video texts and calls, and a third trip back to the event with the rest of the family—who also fell instantly in love—Bruno was officially adopted. The rescue organization told Rodriguez that Bruno, estimated to be around 7 years old, was found as a stray in another state last October.
So far, Bruno’s adjustment has been seamless, and the special bond with her daughter remains central: “My daughter and him are so close. You can tell he trusts her and feels comfortable and secure around her. She is definitely ‘his person,'” Rodriguez said.
Inspired by the overwhelming online response and desire for updates, the family created social media pages for Bruno (@Bruno.thesouldog) “with the purpose of spreading the word of these amazing rescues and shelters…especially about adopting senior dogs” and to share the joy of Bruno’s connection with their family.
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