Rescue Dog Rejected by His Former Family Ends Up ‘Healing Hearts’ at an Assisted Living Facility (Exclusive)

Chewy, a 7-year-old rescue dog, is charming the residents of an assisted living facility.

Priscilla Duran, the executive director of The Philomena, an assisted living facility in Kyle, Texas, discovered the Shih Tzu on the streets of Austin alone and immediately began searching for his owners.

Duran tells PEOPLE that she brought the canine to a veterinarian, who located a microchip, loaded with the contact info for Chewy’s original owners, implanted in the pooch.

“The original owners were called, and they were very annoyed. They said they didn’t want him back and hung up,” Duran says.

Duran decided she would take Chewy home and get him off the streets. At this pivotal moment in Chewy’s life, Duran faced her own challenges. “The exact same day that I found him, I also got into a four-car accident and totaled my car. He and I were having a very hard first day meeting each other,” she says.

Duran has two older rescue dogs, one of whom is nearing the end of their life after a long health struggle. She feared her older pet wouldn’t adjust well to Chewy’s sudden arrival.

“I didn’t want to make his life any harder or more stressful. And when that dog came up to Chewy and immediately just looked him in the face and greeted him, I broke and I was like, ‘Well, it looks like I’m going to be helping out another dog,'” she says.

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Since adopting Chewy, Duran has found more ways to add the dog to her life. The rescue pup spends nights at his home with Duran. But during the day, he goes to work with Duran at The Philomena, where he spends his time modeling cute new outfits and playing with toys to cheer up the residents.

“He’s known for his bow tie and sunglasses, and we work those into almost every outfit. When his birthday comes around, the residents said they’re all getting bow ties and little round sunglasses to match Chewy,” Duran says of how much The Philomena residents adore Chewy.

At the assisted living facility, Chewy walks through the building to greet and interact with as many residents as possible. Duran says Chewy’s visits encourage the residents to include more movement, exercise, and happiness in their days.

“I will have residents who will not exercise. What they don’t realize is that they take his little toy and throw it 100 times for him; they are moving. What cracks me up, too, is I’ll have residents ask to take Chewy for a walk, and I turn around and he’s riding in a walker with them like he’s the mayor of the community,” says Duran.

The Philomena offers varying levels of care for its residents, some of whom live with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Duran finds that Chewy has significantly contributed to the well-being of patients struggling with memory loss.

“The part that has been just so heartwarming is with memory care, we have residents who maybe can’t talk anymore, or who have become withdrawn due to dementia, but when we put Chewy right in their lap, all of a sudden, eyes are open and smiles are happening. Somebody who’s having difficulty with words will try to talk and interact with him, and that’s so powerful,” Duran explains.

“It’s in those moments that you realize that you don’t always need words, and so much is said without words between the two of them,” she elaborates.

A long-time dog lover, Duran tells PEOPLE that friends and family have always called her dogs “healing.” She said that Chewy has found his own path in her small pack.

“Chewy’s little calling for healing is healing people’s hearts,” says Duran.

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