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Foster puppies take field trips to an assisted living home for snuggles. It's an adorable win-win.

"The laughs, chats, and love the seniors receive during these visits is so good for their souls."

Images courtesy of carter.cifelli/Instagram (with permission)

Assisted living residents get special visit from foster puppies.

The transition into an assisted living home can be hard and lonely. Adjusting to new routines and environments in nursing homes can be scary and unfamiliar to residents.

So, what could be better to bring some joy and comfort to nursing homes than snuggling foster puppies? It's a sweet operation that Carter Cifelli, a puppy foster care provider and advocate in Raleigh, North Carolina, and So Fetch K9, a puppy socialization business in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, are on a mission to provide.

"I’ve been doing this for over 3 years with my foster puppies and have taken almost every litter of puppies I’ve fostered there since I started," Cifelli tells Upworthy. "I love these visits! I go to the same assisted living facility every time so I see the same familiar faces and they know me."

Cifelli and So Fetch K9 bring smiles to nursing home residents—many who struggle with memory loss. "It’s so special to see them waiting with excitement to get to snuggle a rescue pup! And beyond magical to see the sweet puppies relax into their laps and arms," Cifelli adds.

In the videos, residents at the assisted living facility can be seen holding pups in their laps and giving them lots of cuddles and yummy treats. Many pups are so relaxed and happy, they can be seen falling fast asleep.

"The pups I foster have been saved from rural shelters across North Carolina, to go from being discarded and unwanted to bringing so much joy to the seniors is inspiring! Every single person involved gets so much happiness out of it," Cifelli says.

In another post, So Fetch K9 explained that the visits benefits the puppies in a number of ways. "The 7-10 week age frame is the best window to do this type of socialization," they explained. "At this age, their little brains are eager to take in information. When it’s filled with safety, fun, and love, the pups go about the rest of their lives feeling excited about new experiences, not scared of them."

They also added that, "The socialization puppies receive in the critical socialization period is crucial to the ease of their success later in life. While the residents love nothing more than our puppy visits, they are helping the pups more than they know. 💕"

The visits help assisted living residents as well. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, simply petting dogs has been proven reduce stress and also increases levels oxytocin, the "feel-good" bonding hormone.

The precious videos of residents with puppies pulled on the heartstrings of viewers. "This is the absolute perfect place to bring these puppies !!! This is so good for these residents !!! I’m sure this absolutely made their day❤️❤️❤️❤️," one wrote. Another commented, "This is AWESOME! Makes my heart smile!🥰" Another viewer added, "The best therapy ever!! For the pups and these beautiful folks. ❤️"

The foster puppies that have visited assisted living homes throughout the years are available for adoption through Hope Animal Rescue and Saving Grace Animal Adoption.

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One couple's perfect response to people asking when they're going to have kids

Choosing to have kids or not have kids is no one else's decision but yours.

Photo via Carrie Jensen/Imgur, used with permission.

She’s giving birth to a puppy.


"When are you guys going to start having kids?"

Like many couples, Carrie Jansen and her husband Nic had heard this question a million different ways, a million different times.

The pressure really started to mount when the pair, who've been together for eight years, got married three years ago. While Carrie loves kids (she's an elementary school teacher, after all), she and Nic simply aren't interested in having kids of their own. Now or ever.

"It's not what I was meant for," explains Carrie in a Facebook message. "It's like, I love flowers, and everyone loves flowers. But that doesn't mean I want to grow my own. I'm perfectly happy admiring other people's gardens."

Carrie wanted to tell her family that they don't plan on having kids but knew if she did, they'd say something like, "Oh you'll change your mind one day!" and that pesky question would keep rearing its ugly head.

marriage, adults, children, social pressure, pregnancy

Dressed to the nines on their wedding day.

Photo via Carrie Jansen, used with permission.

Rather than continue to deflect the question over and over, Carrie decided to do something a little bit different.

Since the couple was adding another mouth to feed to the family, they decided to announce it with a series of maternity-style photos, revealing the twist: The new addition was a puppy named Leelu, not a baby.

pets, viral, moms, dads, maternity, babies

Look at my newborn baby... puppy.

Photo via Carrie Jensen/Imgur, used with permission.

"My husband and I have been married 3 years and everyone is bugging us about having a baby. Close enough right?" she captioned the photos.

Her pictures went insanely viral, with many of the commenters giving her props for hilariously addressing the dreaded "kids " question.

kids, choices, population, survey

The adorable pup.

Photo via Carrie Jansen, used with permission.

"If you don't want kids, don't have kids. Seriously. Have fun with each other. I had three kids early and it's all about them now," wrote one user. "I wish people would just mind their business raising a kid ain't easy and cheap," wrote another.

"I got my husband a vasectomy for his birthday this year. Best gift ever," chimed in a third.

Carrie was overwhelmed and inspired by the viral response. "Having children is definitely a hot topic, and one that is evolving in this generation like so many other social issues," she says. "It's exciting to find others that feel the same way I do.”

Carrie is hardly alone in not wanting to have kids — in fact, a record number of women are choosing not to have kids today.

In 2014, the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey found 47.6% of women between age 15 and 44 had never had children, which is the highest percentage on record. Despite the numbers, however, because we still live in a patriarchally-driven society, women regularly face the expectation that they should be mothers, and they often are judged if they decide not to be.

Whether you want to have one kid, five kids, no kids, or a puppy, the choice should be yours and no one else's.

holidays, gifts, woman\u2019s rights, gender equality,

The holiday photo in front of the Christmas tree.

Photo via Carrie Jansen, used with permission.

No one else has the right to put pressure on you to change your body and life in a drastic way. Thankfully, because of women like Carrie — and partners like Nic — who aren't afraid to bring the subject out in the open, the expectations are slowly but surely changing.


This article originally appeared nine years ago.


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Boy moved to tears after learning his new puppy was a gift from his recently deceased father

A wonderful final gesture.

via Inside Edition/YouTube and WZZM13

Logan Kavaluskis holds his new puppy for the first time.

At 47, Joe Kavaluskis lost his nine-year battle with multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer, on January 8, 2020, leaving behind a wife and two sons. But that didn't stop him from fulfilling one of his son's dreams a week later on his 13th birthday.

In the final days of his life, he told his wife, Melanie, to buy their son, Logan, a puppy after he passed. He thought the dog would brighten his spirits after such a loss and it was something he always wanted but couldn't have. Joe was allergic to dogs so he couldn't have one in the home.

"He said, 'Just promise that when I do pass, that you get Logan a puppy as soon as you can, because I know that it will bring him a lot of comfort,'" Melanie Kavaluskis told Inside Edition.

Throughout his childhood, Logan had hermit crabs and lizards, but never the puppy he always wanted. When he was 3 years old he got a stuffed Boston terrier and named it Puppers and took it everywhere he went for years.

Joe thought it was the right time for him to have a real Boston terrier of his own.


13-year-old cries as he's surprised with dog from late dad.www.youtube.com

A week after Joe's passing, Melanie told her son Logan they had to drive to Midland, Michigan to pick up a puppy, but he had no idea it was a gift for him. Halfway through the drive home, his cousin Jon broke the news.

"That's from your dad. That's your dog," Jon told an astonished Logan. "Really? Logan replied.

The 13-year-old boy looked down at the dog and he still couldn't believe it was his. "'Dad wanted you to have a puppy," his cousin said.

"Words can't explain the shock," Logan later told WZZM13. "I had to ask 'really?' again, just to make sure it was my dog and not a horrid prank."

The family has named the dog Indy and Logan says he's a great fit for the family.

"He fits to all of our needs. Cuddles with my mom and my brother and plays with me, unless I want him to relax," Logan said.

Melanie thinks that her husband's final gesture may have been his best.

"He got it right. This was amazing. This gift is just perfect. Perfect timing," she said.

Kid gets surprise gift after dad's death.www.youtube.com

Joe's gesture may have done more than just cheer up his son. Research shows that pets can be a big help for kids who are grieving.

"Pets can help improve mood," said Gina McDowell, a licensed professional clinical counselor and behavioral health clinical educator at the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, in a Huffington Post article.

"Playing with pets often creates positive emotions that can last throughout the day and may even help manage symptoms of anxiety and depression," she continued.

It has to be terribly frustrating to be suffering from a terminal disease knowing you'll be unable to comfort your children when you're gone. But Joe did one of the most beautiful things imaginable by fulfilling one of his son's dreams while also giving him a way to cope in a time of need.


This article originally appeared four years ago.

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Woman offered $200K to sell her dog explains the reason behind her decision

People are divided over this one.

via @itsalexiselliott/TikTok and @itsalexiselliott/TikTok

A woman was offered $200,000 for her dog.

For most dog owners, their pooch is a member of the family, best friend, confidante, and loyal protector. They would never dream of giving their dog away to anyone, let alone selling their pet. However, what if the offer was $200,000?

A TikTokker named Alexis Elliott says she received a “legit” offer of $200,000 for her Doberman pinscher puppy, but refused because she wouldn’t dream of selling her dog.

“Someone offered us $200K for our puppy, and I told my husband ‘absolutely f*cking not,’” the TikToker said. “Would you guys sell your dogs for $200k?” she asks later in the video. “Like, that is my baby! That is my baby. I birthed her. That is my child. Like there is no money, I would not sell her. But it just got me thinking, like, I wonder if people would have taken that 200K?"

After posing the question, Alexis received a lot of responses. Surprisingly, many of them would entertain the $200,000 offer.

Warning: Video contains strong language.

​"In this economy? Yes." one user wrote, and people agreed with them, giving the comment over 8,000 likes. "I would absolutely, without even thinking about it, LMAO," Maee G added. Others thought that it was morally right to take the money. "It’s a crime to not accept 200k," Lana said.

One woman tried to alter the deal. "Not my dog but the husband, absolutely," a user wrote.

About the same number of commenters said they would never sell their dogs, even for $200,000. "A lot of you in these comments don’t deserve a dog," Adero_77 wrote. “Omg never. The thought of my dog being confused and feeling abandoned breaks my heart," Julie added.

"One time, someone asked my brother if he would sell his puppy. My brother answered, ‘No, I'd rather have an empty wallet than an empty house,’” Tracy Laguna wrote.

One person responded to the video with a funny clip of their dog waiting on the curb with a suitcase. “For 200k, damn!” I am Yelitzii captioned the video.

@iamyelitzii

#stitch with @Alexis For 200k damn 😂

Some believe that if their dog went to live with someone with $200k to spend on them, it would probably be living in a better place. "If they’re offering $200k they can clearly provide him a better life than I can! This is best for both of us," Clutch Grabs wrote. "Listen, with that type of money, me & my dog would live our best lives… separately," Jasmine added.

Those who said would never sell their dogs because it would cause them distress are correct. “Yes, your dog will miss you when you give them away,” Preventive Vet wrote on its blog. However, dogs can adapt to a new family situation. “It is normal for a dog to grieve the loss of their previous family and go through an acclimation period in their new home,” the blog continues. “While they may miss you, if they are in a caring environment and their needs are being met, they will do well.”


This article originally appeared on 12.10.23

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