Piglet is a dachshund-Chihuahua rescue who is helping to bring the ideas of kindness and inclusion to adults and children across the country!
The tiny pink puppy was born deaf and blind in a Georgia home along with 37 other puppies. After he was rescued, Connecticut veterinarian Melissa Shapiro gave the one-pound puppy what would become his forever home.
If you think that’s Piglet’s happy ending—his story was just beginning. Even though Shapiro only wanted to foster the dog, she fell in love with little Piglet and just couldn’t let him go. Shapiro told People, “It was quite a decision to make. He is a lot of work and he is like a full-time job, taking care of a little disabled baby.” She went on to add, “But he’s so cute, and we couldn’t give him away at that point.”
While Piglet got off to a rocky start in his new home, he eventually adjusted (overcoming anxiety) and vaulted to near-celeb status on Instagram. With well over 100,000 followers, Piglet’s story caught the attention of a Plainville, Massachusetts third grade teacher. The teacher used the pink puppy as a model for a “positive growth mindset,” helping students to face challenges.
Shapiro told People, “She called it Piglet Mindset, and we corresponded throughout the year. At the end of the year, we surprised the kids. They thought we were going to FaceTime, and we walked in with Piggy in his stroller and three of my other dogs, and everyone was crying.”
The classroom-puppy partnership led to Piglet Mindset Outreach, a program Shapiro created to teach children about facing challenges. Along with promoting the “Piglet Mindset,” the pink puppy also encourages pet owners to spay/neuter their cats and dogs, inspires other would-be pet parents to adopt special needs animals, facilitates outreach to teachers and students and fundraises for special needs dog rescues and nonprofits.
To learn more about Piglet and the Piglet Mindset Outreach program visit the pink puppy’s website here.
—Erica Loop
Featured photo: Pink Piglet Puppy via Instagram
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