Man Spends Five Hours Camping Outside Animal Shelter In Order To Adopt His Favorite Pet

Many of us have felt the thrill of beating the masses and being among the first to get in line for something we genuinely want, whether it’s securing concert tickets or bagging the latest phone release. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if the same desire extended to pet adoption? Imagine a world where people line up outside shelters before they even open in the hopes of finding the dog of their dreams a forever home.

This heartwarming event recently occurred at a shelter when a man wanted to arrive early to ensure that a charming shelter puppy would become a part of his life. Meet Elliot, a border collie puppy who was spotted as a stray in March and ended up in the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, according to The Dodo. The terrified, shy dog was placed in a foster home until he could be adopted — and while there, he left an impression on the foster’s neighbor, Dr. Brian Eberhart.

“He had the opportunity to get to know Elliot before he was available and fell in love,” shelter executive director Anthony Mercurio told Newsweek. When Elliot was put up for adoption, Dr. Eberhart knew he had to be the one to give the puppy a home — and he went out of his way to make sure no one else claimed the dog before him. The shelter didn’t open until 1 p.m. on the day Elliot was up for adoption, but he waited outside for five hours before that, assuring he’d be the first.

“He remained there from around 8 a.m. until we opened at 1 p.m. We observed his setup outdoors with a lounge chair and had to talk to him. We found out he was there to ensure he had a chance to adopt Elliot,” Mercurio told Newsweek. Dr. Eberhart set up camp outside with a folding chair and a book, fully committed to his goal. “His wife later took over for a bathroom break just before noon,” Mercurio said. “It was a collaborative effort. His commitment well above the average for dog adoption.

Other people came by that morning as well,” Mercurio added, “but once they found out that we didn’t open until 1 p.m. that day, they gave up and left,” according to The Dodo. After the touching video went viral, Eberhart created his own TikTok account to document his adventures with Leo. Videos reveal that the man and dog are very happy together and are frequently seen resting around the house.

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♬ Steven Universe – L.Dre

After the touching video went viral, Eberhart created his own TikTok account to document his adventures with Leo. Videos reveal that the man and dog are very happy together and are frequently seen resting around the house.