Sometimes, all it takes is one person with a camera and a bit of compassion to change the course of an animal’s life. Volunteers at animal shelters are often the ones who notice when a dog looks especially down, when a moment feels worth sharing. That instinct proved powerful when a video of a dog named Delano, posted by shelter volunteer Julie Saraceno, reached thousands online and led to an adoption that may never have happened otherwise.
Shelter dog finds forever home after volunteer puts up his emotional story
Delano, a shelter dog with a gentle spirit, had been waiting for a home when volunteer Julie Saraceno decided to share a glimpse into his life. Posting under the handle @jsaraceno on Instagram, Saraceno uploaded a video showing a quiet moment of Delano’s return to the shelter after a day out. In the footage, the dog sits in the back seat of the car, looking heartbroken and defeated, clearly not wanting to go back behind the shelter doors.
That short clip struck a chord with viewers across Instagram. The post quickly gained traction, gathering millions of views and drawing attention to Delano’s story. Just three days later, Saraceno shared another video, this time, with much happier news. Delano was meeting potential adopters who had seen his video and were eager to give him a home.
The clip shows the cheerful pup wagging his tail as his adopters greet him with love and affection. The family instantly clicked with him and didn’t waste time making things official. In the final moments of the video, Delano walked out the shelter’s front door for the last time, hopping into the car where his new furry sibling was already waiting to welcome him.
The shelter dog’s adoption video has since been viewed over 1.3 million times and has received around 155K likes. Touched by Delano’s journey, viewers filled the comments with heartfelt messages. “I pray he lives the best life! As all dogs deserve to! I’m so happy for him!” wrote one user. Another added, “Thank you for all you do! Delano was seen because of you.” One comment captured the moment perfectly: “The amount of joy in his little brain is probably unbelievable.”
