A heartwarming video captured the moment a dog who had been in a shelter for 532 days was finally freed.
Julie Saraceno (@jsaraceno), 44, from Pasco, Washington, who works as a graphic designer and volunteers at dog shelters, shared the now-viral video, which has racked up more than 2,600 likes and over 17,000 views on Instagram. Ozzy, a husky, came to the shelter as a surrender in May 2024, alongside his brother, Bark.
Saraceno told Newsweek: “He was there for over a year and a half. With the combo of having to be an only dog and being a high-energy breed, it was just tough to find the right family for him. A couple weeks ago, someone expressed interest in doing a foster to adopt. After two weeks, they decided to make it official. He now has a human sibling/sister, and a mom and dad.”
The video shows Ozzy stepping out of the shelter with his new family and stopping to sniff the grass, with his little human sister by his side. The dog is then scooped into the car trunk, ready to begin his new life.
Saraceno said that Ozzy came to the shelter as a surrender back in May 2024, along with his brother Bark. He had spent his entire life outdoors before arriving at the shelter.
The 6-year-old Siberian husky was described as a very high-energy dog who loved stuffed animals and swimming. Over the summer, staff made sure he had a giant pool in the play yard, where he enjoyed taking quick dips with his favorite squeaky toy of the day.
Saraceno added that Ozzy’s new family is bilingual, so “he will now be Spanish-speaking.” In the video of him leaving, his new mom can be heard saying, “Vamos mi amor,” which means, “Come on, my love.” Saraceno said it meant a great deal to her that someone was willing to give Ozzy a chance, adding that she would miss bringing him new stuffed animals and seeing his beautiful smile.
Instagram users were quick to celebrate Ozzy’s adoption.
“Yay Ozzy!! Go live your best life with your forever family,” posted Daniela.
“So sweet … way to go Ozzy,” added another viewer.
“Omg [oh my God]!! What a beautiful blessing!!! So happy for Ozzy!! Praying for this forever family,” commented Lisa.
“YES OZZY!!! I’m so happy for him, and I know Bark will find his furever home soon too, thanks to all that you do Julie,” wrote Kayla.
“Omg I’m crying, this makes me so happy!! Ozzy finally got his furever home and it’s thanks to you!!! Wishing him the best life ever! Now praying for Bark to get his turn too,” another user shared.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
