A kitten named Dijon who had no interest from adopters has captured hearts and found his forever home.
After being overlooked at an adoption event hosted by Smittens Rescue in San Diego, California, last Sunday, 3-month-old Dijon has found a new home.
The event, held at Resident Brewing in Chula Vista, featured the kitten among other adoptable cats. Despite his sweet demeanor and playful spirit, Dijon sat waiting all day without a single application.
Smittens Rescue shared a video of the little kitten on social media, showing him waiting patiently, accompanied by the caption: “Dijon waited all day at our adoption event to be adopted, but no one applied for him.”
“We don’t know why he was overlooked—he was so cute and so friendly,” a spokesperson for Smittens Rescue told Newsweek. “But, after we posted, applications started pouring in! We finalized his adoption today.”
The video quickly went viral with more than 499,000 views and prompted responses from animal lovers.
One commenter wrote: “Cats are literally my kryptonite. I want them all. I need to win the lottery and just rescue cats.” Another added: “OMG [oh my God] why? He’s so stinking adorable—please someone adopt Dijon.”
For some, the clip reignited their commitment to animal rescue. “I have 16 beautiful kitties I saved from different situations because I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t save them. Is it hard work? Yes. Chaos? Yes. Expensive? Yes. Regrets? Not a one,” said one viewer.
In 2023, 6.5 million animals entered U.S. shelters, according to Shelter Animals Count, up 4 percent when compared to 2022 intakes. At the end of 2023, 117,000 additional dogs and cats were in the animal sheltering system compared to the same time the year before.
Around 850,000 animals were euthanized in shelters in 2023, a rise of 15 percent when compared to 2022. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
Smittens Rescue, dedicated to saving and rehoming cats, expressed gratitude for the community’s outpouring of support. The rescue also emphasized the importance of spay and neuter programs to address the overpopulation of stray and abandoned cats.
“Dijon’s story is a reminder of the love waiting to be found at shelters and rescues,” the rescue said. “We hope to rescue more cats and help them find their forever homes.”
For Dijon, he is soon off to begin a new life in his forever home, much to the joy of his new online fans.
The post Tears for Kitten Who ‘Waited All Day’ at Adoption Event With Zero Interest appeared first on Newsweek.
