Tiki the rescue dog inspires support for other animals in need
Tiki, a rescue dog who went viral on social media, is now happily part of a pack.
Adoptive owners Aubrie and Vince D'Angelo said he's finding his place with two canine siblings, big brother Meyer and big sister Gaia.
They said his confidence has been steadily growing since a timid arrival in June.
"He was cautious, but he was curious," Aubrie said. "That curiosity, I think, unlocked his progress."
The chihuahua mix, who was surrendered to the ASPCA in New York, captured the hearts of hundreds of thousands of people online before being brought to Massachusetts.
His following on TikTok and Instagram exploded when Isabel Klee, the Brooklyn woman who fostered him, shared his story with the world.
On her accounts, under the handle , Klee documented how Tiki's fear from years of trauma grew to trust, with patience and kindness.
"I think I cried (at) almost every video," Aubrie said. "I think it's just so beautiful to watch what dogs are capable of and humans are capable of."
Hundreds of people applied to adopt Tiki once he was ready, but the D'Angelos were determined to be his perfect match.
"He had come up to us, he let us pet him," Vince said. "These things that he hadn't really done with strangers."
Regression was expected after Tiki's move to a new home. The D'Angelos said that at first, he hid in his safe space under their bed.
They said continuing to share Tiki's story on their own social media accounts under the handle was helpful, thanks to supportive comments from followers.
"Within probably 24 hours, we had almost 400,000 followers," Aubrie said. "It was so crazy, but so incredible too — just having that reassurance that so many people wanted the best for him made me feel good."
With time and love, the D'Angelos said Tiki ventured out from under their bed into the yard. He is now thriving, and the D'Angelos are channeling Tiki's fame to help others.
"We didn't adopt a dog and intend for him to have, you know, over half a million followers, but because he does, it's given us the opportunity to shine the light on other dogs who need it," Aubrie said.
Each month, they feature a rescue organization on @tikiplustwo, posting the organization's wishlists and hard-to-place pets.
"It's been just the most rewarding thing we've ever done," Aubrie said. "Now I feel like we're on a mission to do the most good, to help the most dogs that we can because I feel like that's what Tiki would want."
