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A Mama Left Behind and Devastated
When a red-nose Pitbull named Cinnamon was abandoned at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control shelter in North Carolina, her sorrow was impossible to miss. She had been dropped off without her puppies, and every time someone approached her kennel, tears pooled in her eyes. Her pain was quiet, but overwhelming. Shelter volunteers couldn’t ignore her sadness, and one in particular decided to take action.
Image Credit: Sarah Jennings Sleime / Facebook
A Tearful Moment Caught on Camera
Sarah Jennings Sleime, a volunteer with the Greater Charlotte SPCA, made an impromptu trip to the shelter one Saturday. She walked the kennels until her eyes met Cinnamon’s. The dog sat slumped over in a way that seemed almost human. Sarah immediately noticed the signs—Cinnamon had clearly just given birth. Staff believed she had been used as a breeding dog and discarded when no longer “useful.” Each time Sarah knelt down to talk, Cinnamon’s eyes welled up with tears. Moved by the sight, Sarah recorded a short video and posted it on Facebook, hoping it might help. She had no idea how quickly it would change everything.
Image Credit: Sarah Jennings Sleime / Facebook
One Video, One Million Hearts Reached
Within just 48 hours, Cinnamon’s video had gone viral—viewed over one million times and shared by 20,000 people. Among those moved by her story was Sarah’s friend, Meghan Connor Shelton. Meghan had a soft spot for Pitbulls and was instantly heartbroken by the footage. Her entire family, including the kids, cried watching Cinnamon silently sob in her cage. The very next morning, they were the first family at the shelter to meet her. The moment they saw her in person, it was clear they weren’t leaving without her.
Image Credit: Sarah Jennings Sleime / Facebook
A New Home, A New Name, A New Life
They renamed her Rosie and brought her home after her spay appointment. At first, they were unsure how Rosie would adjust, especially with their other dog, a three-year-old Pitbull named Blu. But the two pups hit it off instantly. They sat together with wagging tails, bonding like old friends. As Rosie settled in, her personality blossomed. The family discovered one of her most endearing quirks—when she gets excited, she snorts like a pig. It was a sound that brought joy to everyone who heard it, a complete contrast to the tears she once shed.
Image Credit: Sarah Jennings Sleime / Facebook
How Rosie’s Tears Saved More Than Just Herself
Rosie’s adoption story didn’t just change her life. Inspired by the video, several other families came to the shelter—some hoping to adopt her, and others leaving with different dogs who desperately needed homes. Sarah later shared that Rosie’s video helped free up shelter space, giving more dogs a chance at life. What started with one video of a heartbroken mama ended with a wave of compassion and second chances for many. Rosie now lives the life every dog deserves, surrounded by love, comfort, and a family who will never let her cry alone again.
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