Imagine being told you’re too old to work and that you’re no longer desired. That’s exactly what happened to Chico, a 13-year-old lovely Chihuahua mix. His owners surrendered him to the Lancaster Animal Care Center in Los Angeles, California. They relinquished him due to his age, writes ilovemydogsomuch.

The shelter’s sympathetic staff decided to place the tiny man in the medical ward, where it would be considerably calmer. They didn’t want to irritate him any further. The general public, however, could not see the little pooch in this location. That is, until a special visitor arrived.

Rita Earl Blackwell, a photographer for the shelter, came to visit him. Chico’s troubled eyes caught her attention right away. He brightened up up as she gave him her whole attention. He was wagging his tail, clearly pleased to see her.

She snapped a few images and shared them on Facebook. Hillary Rosen of A Purposeful Rescue came in a few days later. He was taken to a veterinarian for treatment and will be cared for by a foster until he finds his permanent home. We also adore his new name, which is ‘Toast.’

Here is the sweet boy at the shelter. You can contact A Purposeful Rescue if interested in adopting him.