“She absolutely adores affection and never hesitates to come right up to you when she’s craving love.”
Back in June, Twinkle was discovered wandering the streets of Miami by herself and was soon rescued. She was severely underweight, her teeth were in terrible shape, and it was clear she needed immediate care. Thankfully, once in safe hands, she finally began receiving the kindness and attention she had been missing.
“She spent a couple of weeks at the vet’s office after surgery, slowly gaining her strength and putting on weight,” said Lisa Letson, president and founder of the rescue, in an interview with The Dodo. “As she recovered, she blossomed into the sweetest little doll. In early September, she was adopted by what seemed like a wonderful family.”
But just before Christmas, the rescue got an unexpected email. After four months, Twinkle’s new owners said they wanted to bring her back.
The reason? Twinkle would cry all night because she desperately wanted to sleep in bed with them. The family, who already had other senior Chihuahuas, had a strict rule against letting any of their dogs in their bed. Believing she wasn’t the right fit, they returned her to the rescue.
“Twinkle was heartbroken and completely lost,” recalled Madison Mulvihill, social media coordinator at True and Faithful Pet Rescue. “I remember walking into the main dog room and seeing her curled up in a corner, trembling on a bed. Her eyes were filled with confusion and pain. When her owners handed her back over the fence, she kept looking toward it as if waiting for them to return. It was devastating, because we can’t explain to her why she was abandoned again.”
All she had wanted was to cuddle through the night, and it crushed everyone to see her lose the family she thought was hers forever. The rescue team, who had adored her from the very start, couldn’t fathom how anyone could give her up.
“Twinkle may be tiny at only 3 and a half pounds, but her personality is enormous,” Mulvihill said. “She thrives on attention, is bold about asking for love, and is endlessly cheerful. She even does little hops when she trots through the grass. She’s affectionate, leash-trained, friendly with other dogs, and will tap your hand with her paw when she wants to be scratched.”
After her return, the rescue shared Twinkle’s story on TikTok, hoping someone would connect with her. The internet responded instantly — the post went viral, applications poured in, and Twinkle’s future quickly brightened.
“Her new family has six other dogs and, most importantly, a huge king-sized bed where she can snuggle every night,” Mulvihill explained. “This little senior will finally live the rest of her life knowing what unconditional love really feels like.”
Twinkle only ever wanted to give love and receive it in return. Now, she has found a family who accepts her just as she is — cuddles and all.