A cute puppy named Piglet took Instagram by storm. With more than 116,000 followers, Piglet and his owner, Melissa Shapiro, seek to inspire others to adopt and find beauty despite being different.
Born into an overcrowded home in Georgia alongside 35 other puppies, Piglet, a dachshund-Chihuahua mix once rescued and sent to a shelter, lives with Shapiro, a Connecticut veterinarian. At first, Shapiro intended it to be temporary, but after two months, she eventually decided to take him in permanently and give him a forever home. In an interview with People, Shapiro shares that it was a big step for her because the beginning was a lot of work. In the first few months, Piglet was constantly anxious and screaming, prompting Shapiro not to leave the house for a month.
Despite the challenge of warming up and adapting to the environment of Shapiro’s household, where she has six other dogs, Piglet has come a long way. With Shapiro’s help, Piglet now enjoys meeting new people and infecting them with his confidence despite being blind and deaf.
Through social media, Piglet is not only working to inspire other people, but he also helps in fundraising for special needs dogs and other non-profits. Shapiro hopes to start her non-profit to help give more money to rescues. She says that people fear adopting animals because they think it is too much work. But when people see Piglet’s page, they change their minds. Shapiro feels rewarded after receiving many notes from people that people take inspiration from Piglet.
Piglet became an inspiration, and a Massachusetts teacher set his story as an example in grade school. His story even paved the way for the conception of the “Piglet Mindset.”
Born different and as pink as a pig, Piglet is a testament that one’s life struggles can lead to growth and greatness.
Here is a video of Piglet being an inspiration to all:
Video from CBS News via YouTube