“[T]hey took the puppy and only left us the old man …”
When Scott Newton arrived to clean out a rental property after an eviction, he expected to find the usual — scattered trash, abandoned furniture, and forgotten odds and ends. What he didn’t expect was to discover a living, breathing tenant still inside: a senior dog named Fred.
The previous family had moved out and, heartbreakingly, left Fred behind. The confused old pup sat quietly, not quite understanding why his world had suddenly changed. “They left you, buddy,” Newton told him gently in a video later shared on TikTok. “Sorry, you’re gonna have to come with us.”
Fred didn’t seem eager to leave. One moment, he’d had a family; the next, he was alone in an empty house. Newton knelt down beside him, offering soft words, gentle pets, and reassurance, but Fred stayed rooted in place, as though waiting for his people to walk back through the door.
“They took the puppy and only left us the old man,” Newton said sadly. At one point, Fred wandered into the bedroom and curled up quietly on the floor. His body language spoke volumes — this was where he’d last known comfort, and he wasn’t ready to let it go.
Eventually, Newton coaxed him outside, though Fred moved reluctantly, still unsure of this new turn of events. What he didn’t know was that his life was about to change for the better.
Newton brought Fred home, giving him a soft bed, food, and affection. At first, the plan was to foster him until a permanent home could be found. But as the days passed, it became clear that Fred had already found his forever family — right there in Newton’s house.
“He got left behind, but he’s already found a new home in my son’s room,” Newton said with a smile. Newton even took Fred shopping for toys and treats, though Fred stuck close by his side the entire time, perhaps afraid that if he let Newton out of his sight, he might be left behind again.
Back home, Newton’s children showered Fred with attention, and the once-heartbroken dog began to open up. The more time he spent in this new household, the more his sadness melted away, replaced by comfort, safety, and love.
Within days, it was clear that Fred was exactly where he was meant to be. The abandoned old man who once refused to leave an empty house was now thriving — his heart mended, his days filled with companionship.
Fred may have lost one family, but in the process, he gained another that loves him beyond measure.