30-04-2025
Puppy in Foster Home Minutes Away From Adoption—Then It Takes a Turn
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
What started as just another adoption day soon turned into an internet spectacle, after a 3-month-old foster puppy decided that his potential adopters weren't a good match for him.
A viral TikTok video shared in March by his foster carer, under the username @nick_norcia, shows the puppy, a Ridgeback, SharPei, pit bull, and possibly boxer mix, acting like a good boy as the poster recalls what happened.
"My foster dog is sabotaging his chances of getting adopted," reads layover text in the clip. And a caption says: "At least he's cute."
The poster, 29-year-old Nick Norcia, from Los Angeles, a content creator who also works in the movies, explained that when a family showed up to sign the adoption papers, his foster pup thought it would be funny to bite their clothes and feet, instead of trying to make a good impression on them.
When Norcia stepped in to remove the pup from the situation, he was bitten on the arm and forehead and left bleeding with the blank adoption papers in his hands, which never got filled out in the end.
Norcia, who started fostering pups through an LA based rescue, A Wish For Animals, after the fires and has so far homed two dogs this year, told Newsweek that while being fun and energetic, the puppy also has a sweet cuddly side.
In spite of this, the family that had shown up for him never called back, and once again the puppy found himself without a permanent home.
"I never heard back from them which I had expected based off their reaction. Some people just aren't cut for the crazy puppy phase, which is okay! There's PLENTY of adult dogs needing homes which would be perfect for that kind of adopter," he said.
While he would have loved being able to keep the pup himself, Norcia explained that his job has him moving locations a lot, so an animal, especially a dog, wouldn't quite fit into his lifestyle.
"Trust me, I want to make it work but right now I can't," he said.
Puppies of all breeds are known for their naughty behaviors from time to time. Just like teenagers, dogs also go through adolescence, and during this period their hormonal changes can make them act less obediently.
It often starts between six and 12 months and can end between 18 and 24 months. During their adolescence pups have a greater need to interact with those around them and to explore their environment, but tend to listen less.
Screenshots of the viral video show the poster hugging his foster pup, after he sabotaged his own adoption day.
Screenshots of the viral video show the poster hugging his foster pup, after he sabotaged his own adoption day.
@nick_norcia
The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 1.3 million views and 148,100 likes on the platform.
One user, Billythebananarama, commented: "He did it on purpose so he can stay with you."
Dee said: "As someone who's currently surviving having a puppy, if they don't understand that this is how puppies are, they aren't ready for one."
Jo Sip added: "He was weeding out the people who'd surrender him as soon as he required commitment and unconditional love."
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