Ice cream truck driver meets shelter dog on her break. It was ‘love at first sight’
An ice cream truck driver met a shelter dog on her break — and it was “love at first sight.”
Now the pup — who had been adopted and returned to the Florida shelter six times — gets another fresh start.
“Brucey didn’t have an easy life before now, but we think it’s going to be an amazing journey for him and his new mom from here on out,” the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Florida wrote Oct. 29 on Facebook.
Brucey’s heartwarming adoption came after his previous owner surrendered him in June 2022. His subsequent adoptions didn’t work out, mainly because the families didn’t heed the shelter’s advice about his picky behavior, Randa Richter, humane programs and public media director for the Lakeland-area shelter, told McClatchy News in a phone interview.
At one point, Brucey was even transferred to another shelter to see how he would fare in a new environment. Over time, he became known as a 4-year-old pit bull who’s social and loves being around water.
“His size can be intimidating, but he is the biggest lovebug ever,” Richter said.
As Brucey waited for a new home, SPCA Florida had a celebration for its workers in mid-October. It invited food vendors to the shelter, including the owner of an ice cream truck.
“After 2 years in and out of SPCA Florida, Brucey finally went home... with the ice cream truck lady,” the shelter wrote. “She was here with her truck feeding us delicious treats when, on a break, she went to meet Brucey.”
She fell for him right away, ending his stay at SPCA Florida. The shelter thinks the home is the right fit since his new owner has experience with dogs like him and has reached out for advice about his behavior.
In a “bittersweet” moment, shelter workers went out to the ice cream truck to say their farewells to Brucey.
“He’s now been in a home longer than ever, and they absolutely love and adore him,” Richter said.
Lakeland is a roughly 35-mile drive east from Tampa.
This story was originally published October 30, 2024 at 11:24 AM with the headline "Ice cream truck driver meets shelter dog on her break. It was ‘love at first sight’."
