Shelter Dog Returned for Being 'Bad Listener,' Then Comes Devastating Twist

Newsweek

3 days ago

A heartbreaking story of a shelter dog named Zephyr has offered internet viewers a powerful lesson in pet adoption and patience.
A couple, who had gone to the rescue to adopt him, saw a glaring red flag on his file. But what they learned about the reason behind it was a devastating twist that completely changed their perception of the dog. One of the owners shared the story in a TikTok video, which has gone viral with over 768,000 views.
The owner explained the couple's initial hesitation. "The day we were adopting Zephyr, the rescue took out his folder and written in all capital letters across the top it said 'RETURNED!'" she wrote in the video's caption.
"My husband and I were not supposed to see that, but we did. A little skeptical and concerned we asked what the problem was and why he had been returned," the owner added.
The rescue staff informed them that Zephyr had been brought back by his previous family because he was a "bad listener" and would not follow their commands. Despite the report, the couple decided to give the dog a second chance.
@the_official_zephyr.solo
The day we were adopting Zephyr, the rescue took out his folder and written in all capital letters across the top it said ' RETURNED!' When I question the rescue about that note she quickly covered it up. My husband and I were not supposed to see that, but we did. A little skeptical and concerned we asked what the problem was and why he had been returned. The rescue informed us that the family brought him back after a few days because he was a bad listener and would not follow any of their commands. My husband and I decided we still wanted to give that for a chance. He deserved a second chance at life and we would do our best to make it work. Within 48 hours of having him home we suspected he was hearing impaired. We knew there was an impairment, but we didn't know to what extent. About one week later, the vet confirmed that he has absolutely zero ability to hear. Who was that that moment that I broke down and cried in the car because now I knew why he was labeled.' a bad listener' by the family who had originally rescued him. They thought he was a bad listener because he wasn't responding to their verbal commands. But he couldn't hear them so he wasn't a bad listener. Not in the least bit. It was at that moment that I swore to him he would never be returned again, and that he was home and safe. We instantly began training him by using American Sign Language, facial expressions, body language, and other visual gestures. Zephyr learned his commands so quickly! In fact, he is the best listening dog we've ever had. He follows all directionsand wants nothing more than to please us. In this video you will see truly how quickly he responds just to a flashing light. He knows it's time to go home, where mommy and daddy are.#fyp#americansignlanguageclub#home#safe#safeandsound#foryourpage#viral#dogsoftiktok#reel#viralreel#longislandny#rescuedog#happydoggie#kindnessmatters#bestdogever#viralvideo#texas#newyork ♬ original sound - sped up songs 🫶
The Heartbreaking Truth
Within 48 hours of bringing Zephyr home, the couple suspected he had a hearing impairment.
"We knew there was an impairment, but we didn't know to what extent," the owner wrote. A week later, their suspicions were confirmed by a veterinarian. "The vet confirmed that he has absolutely zero ability to hear."
This devastating news clarified everything.
"It was that moment that I broke down and cried in the car because now I knew why he was labeled 'a bad listener' by the family who had originally rescued him," the owner said. "They thought he was a bad listener because he wasn't responding to their verbal commands. But he couldn't hear them, so he wasn't a bad listener. Not in the least bit."
It was then that the owners made a vow and swore they would never return him—that he was home and safe. The couple immediately began training Zephyr using visual cues, including American Sign Language, facial expressions and body language.
And the results were astonishing. Zephyr learned his commands quickly, and he is "the best listening dog we've ever had," the owner wrote.
Stock image: A dog peers out of a cage at a shelter.
Stock image: A dog peers out of a cage at a shelter.A Lesson in Unconditional Love
The video's powerful message resonated deeply with the online community, who praised the couple for their dedication and questioned the care provided by the rescue.
"These are the type of people who should have fur babies," one person wrote. "You didn't center yourself and instead focused on his needs and becoming the best people for him to meet those needs. Verbal communication, especially with dogs, is only a small percentage of the process."
Another user, who was frustrated by the situation, wrote: "Honestly … I'm so mad at the rescue. As someone who worked in veterinary medicine and knows intake procedures, they absolutely should have caught on that he was deaf. But, it worked out that he found you."
Zephyr's story is a reminder of the importance of patience and compassion when adopting a shelter dog—more important, it shows that what may seem like a "bad" behavior can be the result of a physical need, and, with the right owners, a pup can thrive and be a faithful companion.
Newsweek reached out to @the_official_zephyr.solo for comment via TikTok.