Reaction of Rescue Dog Who 'Never Had a Toy Before' Choosing Her First One

Every owner loves providing their pet with their first experiences—be that their first walk, or maybe even their first Puppuccino at Starbucks. But for this woman, that precious moment came when she gave her new rescue dog her first ever toys.

After initially fostering 3-year-old Rory from the local animal control, dog owner Rachelle Carranza quickly fell in love with the stray pup, who was incredibly emaciated and scared of people. But Carranza, 38, knew she could provide her with a loving forever home, as she told Newsweek that "she had to be a part of our family."

The Californian spent the last few weeks settling Rory into her new home, helping her gain weight, and most importantly, giving her a second chance at life. Carranza has taken the time to earn Rory's trust and show her that people can be good, which is why she wanted to reward the pup with her very own toys. Rory's reaction was that of pure joy, which Carranza admitted was heartbreaking to see, because it showed how deprived she used to be.

"She had clearly never had a toy before and seemed a little unsure at first but then picked her favorite, a squeaky bear toy, which remains her favorite now," she said. "She still cries with happiness whenever she plays with it.

"Her reaction was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Beautiful because she was so emotional and happy, and heartbreaking because I knew the life she lived before us was full of neglect and sadness."

Part of the reason Carranza chose to formally adopt Rory is because she saw how sad and broken down she was in the shelter, so she knew it was unlikely that anyone else would take a chance on her. As someone who already owns wolf dogs and knows the restrictions around the breed, Carranza did a DNA test to be sure of Rory's heritage, and it showed that she's actually 60 percent Siberian husky and 40 percent German shepherd.

While little is understood about Rory's previous life, Carranza believes she was a backyard breeding dog, and she may have run away, or she was abandoned by the previous owners.

Sadly, Rory's case is not an isolated incident, as shelters across the country are forced to take in countless animals every day. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates that more than 6.3 million companion animals wind up in shelters each year, 3.1 million of which are dogs. It's thought that 2 million of those dogs are fortunate enough to get adopted, but sadly there are still many more yet to find their happy ending.

Since taking Rory into her home on October 5, Carranza has been sharing updates on her social media account (@loki_the_flame_keeper). While she often posts videos on TikTok to educate people about wolf dogs and rescues, Carranza has loved documenting how well Rory is settling into her new home.

The video showing Rory receiving her first toys was shared on November 2, and it's already been viewed more than 38,000 times and has received over 3,700 likes. The social media reaction has been heartwarming for Carranza, as she said that "so many people are on Rory's team and wish her the best future."

She continued: "We have three other dogs, one low-content wolf dog, one mid-content wolf dog and one husky/malamute mix. Rory was very defensive and shy for the first few days, even going so far as to try to start fights, but we knew she wasn't a mean dog, she was just scared as our dogs like to play rough. They have never known abuse and neglect like Rory has, so they didn't understand that she needed time to feel safe.

"My husband and I made sure Rory got the space and security she needed for the first few days so she could adjust, and now she happily plays with the other dogs and loves our daily routine. All of our dogs are a part of our family and I really feel like she is enjoying living in a home as a part of a well-trained pack."

Hundreds of TikTok users have commented on the viral post already, with many delighting over Rory's excitable reaction to the first toy she's ever received.

One comment reads: "Oh my heart! She is beautiful, every fur baby deserves a toy."

Another person responded: "Have me sobbing here. Who could ever not love such a beautiful creature."

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