Senior Dog Left at Shelter Is Hours From Euthanasia, Then a Miracle Happens

Newsweek

22-07-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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With just hours left before he would be euthanized, a 12-year-old dog lay on the floor of his overcrowded shelter—unaware that the clock was ticking on his final day. But then, something remarkable happened: a viral video led to a last-minute act of rescue that changed everything.
"Tigger had been surrendered to the shelter in Atlanta, Georgia," Erica Perets, founder of the nonprofit RescueMeATL, told Newsweek. "Because of the shelter overpopulation crisis, he unfortunately quickly made the euthanasia list."
The moment Perets met Tigger, she knew she had to act.
"When I heard that no one had shown interest in him, I went to meet him—hoping I could create content that might help get him seen and saved," she said. "What I found was the sweetest old soul. Watching him slowly get up off the shelter floor was heartbreaking."
On June 25, Perets shared a video of Tigger on Instagram through her nonprofit's account, @rescueme_atl. The post, which has since been viewed more than 138,000 times and liked over 10,000 times, struck a deep emotional chord with viewers. In it, Tigger is seen walking gingerly around an outdoor kennel at Fulton County Animal Services.
The accompanying caption offered a deeply personal reflection, drawing a poignant contrast between the senior dog's bleak reality and the comfort another dog had once known.
"So when I saw Tigger, I almost didn't wake him, because his dreams had to be better than here," the caption read. "But when he saw he had a visitor, he instantly tried to pop up, but instead slipped on the kennel floor, and all I could think about is that he deserved beds, yoga mats, and warm baths, instead of achey bones, slipper floors, and crying dogs."
The post concluded with an urgent plea: "If you can give 12-year-old Tigger his senior years he deserves please come quickly because he's out of time. Deadline tomorrow Thursday 6/26 at 7 p.m."
From left: Tigger the senior dog struggles at an animal rescue shelter in Georgia; and looks happy after being adopted.
From left: Tigger the senior dog struggles at an animal rescue shelter in Georgia; and looks happy after being adopted.
@rescueme_atl
Fortunately, the response to the video was immediate and overwhelming.
"People from all over reached out wanting to help," Perets said.
Among them was a person who ultimately became Tigger's adopter—just in time to save his life.
"Today, Tigger is living out his golden years with spa days, home-cooked meals, and all the love he deserves," she said.
The post, while celebrating one dog's rescue, also served as a powerful reminder of the stakes facing thousands of others in shelters across the U.S. For many viewers, it opened their eyes to the heartbreaking reality of euthanasia in overcrowded facilities—and the life-saving impact of visibility, compassion, and timely action.
"Imagining my dog in his place was enough to break me," Perets said. "I knew I had to tell Tigger's story."
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