233

Abandoned Pitbull cries for lost puppies

When Cinnamon, a red nose Pitbull, was dumped at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control shelter in North Carolina, she was absolutely heartbroken. She had been abandoned without her puppies, and every time someone approached her, tears filled her eyes.

This sad Pitbull mama caught the attention of one volunteer, Sarah Jennings Sleime, who decided to film a short video of her and post it on Facebook. Little did Sleime know that this video would completely change Cinnamon’s life within just 48 hours.

In the video, it was clear that Cinnamon had recently had puppies and was devastated by their absence. “She was sitting up, kind of slumped-over, almost human-like,” Sleime wrote. “[The shelter workers] believe she was confined and used as a breeding machine. She’s obviously had many, many litters.”

When Sleime tried to interact with Cinnamon, the poor dog’s eyes would fill with tears, a phenomenon Sleime described as “the craziest.” Sleime knew she had to do something to help this heartbroken pup.

Rosie meets her forever family

Sleime posted the video to Facebook, and within just 48 hours, it had been viewed over 1 million times and shared 20,000 times. Sleime’s inbox was flooded with hundreds of messages from people interested in adopting Cinnamon, now renamed Rosie.

One of those people was Meghan Connor Shelton, a Charlotte resident with a soft spot for Pitbulls. “When I saw her in that video, literally crying in a cage, I cried. My kids cried,” Shelton said. The next morning, Shelton and her family were first in line to meet Rosie, and it was love at first sight.

Rosie, now part of the Shelton family, has blossomed in her new home. She gets along wonderfully with the family’s other Pitbull, Blu, and one of her most endearing quirks is that “when she gets excited, she snorts like a pig.”

Rosie’s story not only secured her a loving forever home, but it also helped other dogs at the shelter find their families. “Small acts have a big impact,” Sleime said. “Not only was this sweet dog, Cinnamon, adopted the next morning, but other families who came to adopt her saved other dogs at the shelter.”

Sometimes, all it takes is one simple video or photo to reach millions and change a life. Rosie’s story is a heartwarming reminder of the power of compassion and the difference one person can make.