Family Adopts Puppy Found by Side of the Road: 'Immediately Fell in Love'

Internet viewers have been left in tears after a woman found a new four-legged member of the family dumped by the side of the road, but now he is thriving in his forever home.

When Amanda Roache, 27, headed out for the day with her grandparents and mom on November 10, they planned to go for a drive and spend time catching up. However, they weren't expecting to see a small dog "slumped over" on the street, mere inches away from the road.

They immediately pulled the car over and went to get the tiny puppy. He looked in terrible shape; Roache, who resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia, told Newsweek that he "could not walk, sit up," and he was covered in fleas. Roache and her grandparents scoured the area for any other puppies or the mom, but didn't find anything.

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"We brought him back to the house to examine him, then we bathed him, and gave him some puppy food mixed with milk," Roache said. "He perked up immediately with the food; it was as though he hadn't eaten in days."

The family members were cautious not to give the pup too much food at once as they weren't sure how long he had gone without, and it was important to pace it slowly.

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Finding a puppy was definitely not on Roache's to-do list that day, and she didn't know whether to keep him. All she cared about was keeping him safe and warm, so she took him back to her parents' home nearby and hoped her dad might help.

"I hid the puppy under my sweatshirt and surprised by dad—his jaw dropped, and he immediately fell in love," Roache added. "My dad adores the puppy so much; he even put him inside a beanie and carried him to the grocery store to get supplies."

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The sweet stray was named Teddy; Roache said he found a little perch underneath the Christmas tree and looked just like a teddy bear. Indeed, that has become his new favorite spot , and he has quickly settled into his new home.

There are two other dogs in the home, a Great Pyrenees and a rescue, who were both "so curious" about the new addition. They have lovingly accepted Teddy, though, and he is growing in confidence now that he's "safe and loved."

The Social Media Reaction

After finding Teddy outside, Roache started documenting the hours that followed and posted the footage on TikTok The clip went viral with over 4.6 million views and more than 768,000 likes in just a matter of days.

Roache thought the video would be viewed only by her friends and family. She had no idea that people around the world would fall in love with Teddy's rescue story.

"I was truly shocked to see how many views the video had gotten, but the sweet comments and likes kept coming all day long," Roache said. "It's so sweet seeing just how many people enjoyed the video and have complimented the wholesomeness of my family.

"I'm interested to learn more about how I can advocate and support rescue animals to make sure they get the care they need. Kindness can sometimes be a matter of life or death, and Teddy is a reminder of that," Roache continued.

In just a few days, the viral video has amassed over 2,000 comments on TikTok. Many people have praised Roache and her family for saving Teddy's life and giving him a second chance .

One comment reads: "He literally looks like the sweetest baby."

Another person wrote: "Omg [oh my God] he's your surprise Christmas present."

A third added: "It's like he was meant for you."