In Florida, the Patty Baker Humane Society took in a litter of 12 Pit Bull puppies. As reported by The Dodo, the volunteers thought the puppies would find families in no time.
But as the weeks went by, four of them were still left waiting desperately behind the bars of their kennel.
Despite their boundless energy and loving eyes, Collier, Bailey, Banyan and Max were being overlooked. For Pit Bulls in rescue centres, the stigma surrounding the breed is a sad reality that often puts off potential adopters.
That's when the shelter team had an idea to help the puppies find families: "If people aren't seeing them, let's make it so they can't take their eyes off them."
A transformation into little sheriffs
Kitted out with tiny cowboy hats, the four puppies struck a pose. The goal was to show off their unique personalities and break the sometimes intimidating image associated with their breed. A video of this impromptu photoshoot was shared on social media, showing the puppies proudly sporting their cowboy hats.
The success was instant. Within a few hours, the video went viral, racking up thousands of views and shares.
A viral video with a happy ending
The impact of these little hats went far beyond the shelter's wildest dreams. In the space of just three days, all four remaining puppies found their forever homes. Some adopters even drove for hours, coming from as far away as Miami, to meet the little internet stars.
"Sometimes, when you have a lot of lovely dogs up for adoption, you just need that little something extra to help a puppy stand out from the crowd," explained the shelter's communications manager.
