WALLINGFORD, Conn. (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- A Connecticut animal rescue group is crediting social media with saving the life of Leo the pit bull, who was going to be put down after rescuers struggled for years to get him adopted.
The 5-year-old black pit bull was depressed after three years spent mostly in a kennel because he doesn't get along well with other dogs.
He's otherwise a big mush who is good with kids and loves playing fetch with tennis balls.
Earlier this month, the Bridgeport Animal Rescue Crew of Connecticut made one last plea on Facebook. In the post, rescuers said they'd tried everything, but Leo had "become so depressed living this way that we've been advised it might be best to put him at rest."
That's when the stars aligned for Leo. The post went viral, getting close to 30,000 shares.
Now Leo is moving to Wallingford, where he'll live in his new forever home with a person who has experience with his breed.
Jocelyn Baum, of BARC-CT, credits the Facebook post with saving his life.
"People saw that we were really trying to be transparent and put it all out there," Baum said. "Address the consequences of using the term euthanasia and really address the reality of what the dog is going through. And I think people were able to empathize with that."
Baum hopes the takeaway will be that there's a dog like Leo in every shelter who shouldn't be forgotten.
"No animal should need a viral post to get the attention that they deserve, to get the home that they deserve," she said.
In fact, the rescue has another pit bull, a female named Miss Malone, who is waiting to be adopted.
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