The dog was on his own when he entered, pushing open the door with the confidence of a regular, and wandering through the aisles under the astonished gazes of cashiers and customers.
"I don't know if he needed anything in particular from Dollar Tree, but he decided to have a look around and just strolled in," smiles Lisa Norwood, public relations manager for San Antonio Animal Care Services.
An unusual stroll
But beyond his sheer confidence, it was the way the animal moved that quickly caught everyone's eye.
Adopted within a week
Amusing though the scene was, this unexpected visit required the intervention of specialists to ensure the animal's safety. Alerted to the situation, animal control officers arrived at the scene to look after the four-legged wanderer.
A trip to the vet confirmed that the dog was blind. As is standard practice, the dog, named Stevie, was taken to the local pound to give any potential owner a chance to claim him.
Nobody came forward, so Stevie was transferred to the rescue shelter. His disability could easily have put off potential adopters. Yet, against all odds, he was adopted within a week.