Deaf and blind puppy named Piglet is praised for inspiring kids to overcome the odds – as the pink pooch racks up more than 122,000 fans on Instagram thanks to his adorable appearance
A woman who saved a pink-hued blind and deaf puppy named Piglet and gave him a lifestyle fit for ‘a prince’ said her precious dog is now helping young children how to overcome their own challenges and struggles.
The ‘Piglet Mindset’ – which is inspired by Piglet overcoming his disabilities and continuing to prosper – all began when vet Melissa Shapiro fostered the dachshund-Chihuahua mix from a litter of 37 pups and took him back home to Connecticut.
After she fell in love with the then-one-and-a-half pound ‘screaming baby’, mom-of-three Melissa adopted Piglet and has watched not only his health improve, but his profile as an inspirational pet skyrocket online.
Meet Piglet: A pink puppy who is blind and deaf, pictured, is winning over fans on social media with his inspiring story
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Then and now: A Connecticut-based vet rescued Piglet pictured left in March 2017 and right in September 2019, and has cared for him ever since
New home: As well as Piglet, pictured in March 2017, Melissa rescued his mom and three other pups from the litter
Melissa told People.com that Piglet’s story reached a third-grade school teacher in Massachusetts through social media. The educator in turn used Piglet’s journey to teach students about the importance of a positive mindset and a reminder to never give up.
‘She called it Piglet Mindset, and we corresponded throughout the year. At the end of the year, we surprised the kids.
‘They thought we were going to FaceTime, and we walked in with Piggy in his stroller and three of my other dogs, and everyone was crying,’ Melissa said.
On a website for Piglet, Melissa also writes that she rescued his mother and three litter mates from the ‘hoarding situation’ she found them in.
The decision to adopt Piglet full time didn’t come easy to Melissa – who has six other dogs.
‘It was quite a decision to make. He is a lot of work and he is like a full-time job, taking care of a little disabled baby. But he’s so cute, and we couldn’t give him away at that point.’
Famous: Piglet, featured right in 2018, recently featured as a talent at Petcon in Los Angeles, left
Cutie: Over 120,000 people follow Piglet’s journey online via Instagram
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Busy: Melissa Shapiro, pictured with Piglet, operates the Piglet’s Mindset Outreach Program
In particular, it was a challenge to help Piglet overcome his anxiety.
‘He was so anxious, he was screaming constantly. He would play, then go to sleep, but when he wasn’t doing either of those, he was screaming. I couldn’t leave the house the first month I had the dog here,’ Melissa recalled.
‘When we kept him, I said he needs to have some bigger meaning,’ she added.
These days, meaning comes in the form of 120,000 engaged Instagram followers, championing Piglet’s personal journey.
Melissa created the official Piglet Mindset Outreach Program to teach children across the U.S. how to face challenges and be the best versions of themselves.
So far, classrooms in Alabama, Connecticut, Japan and Australia have downloaded the free program from the website.
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‘Screaming baby’: Melissa, left, said when he came to Connecticut as a ‘screaming baby’, right, Piglet kept her hands full
Merch: A pup wears some merchandise from the Piglet’s Mindset program
The star of the show: Piglet poses in front of a homemade poster featuring positive mindset slogans
The program, which consists of online learning materials, has spread to classrooms in Alabama, Connecticut and even Japan and Australia, and Shapiro offers it for free download on her website.
‘People are afraid to adopt these animals, they think that it’s going to be too much work.
‘But people see Piglet’s page and I get so many notes from people that because of him, they just adopted.
‘It’s rewarding to know that people are taking the lead and being inspired by Piggy,’ Melissa said.
She told the outlet that the money she earns from ads and the merchandise she sells goes to special-needs animal shelters.
Since its inception, the Piglet Mindset Outreach Program has raised more than $30,000 for other animals in needs.
Family: Piglet, center, is one of Melissa’s seven dogs who live with her in Connecticut