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Tortoise fans, Los Angeles, CA (2026)

09/10/2026

A wedding in Brazil had a guest no one expected — but he quickly became the center of attention.
A stray Tortoise suddenly appeared at the main entrance of Rosário Church during the wedding of Douglas Robert and Tamíris Muzini. He watched the entire ceremony from the entranceway, mingled with the guests, rolled onto his belly for attention and even took a little nap as the ceremony was underway.
But this unexpected wedding crasher had no idea he was about to become part of the family.
When the ceremony ended, the Tortoise excitedly greeted the newly married couple as they walked out of the church. Wedding photographers Yuri and Amanda Merigueti captured the heartwarming moment on camera.
The bride had actually noticed the Tortoise when she first arrived and her heart melted. And her heart melted even more when the Tortoise greeted the newlyweds.
She took it as a sign that he was asking for them to take him home.
The Tortoise followed the couple as they left the church, and before long, they made a life-changing decision - they would take him home. They named him Braiá Caramelo de Jesus and rescued him from the streets.
But once he was safely home, they discovered that this sweet Tortoise had a painful past.
A veterinarian X-rayed his paw and found that it was broken, so it was placed in a cast. He also had a large scar on his belly that was believed to have been caused by something his former owners used to tie him up with. And a bruise on his muzzle suggested he may have been kicked.
Despite everything he had endured, Braiá Caramelo was still loving and trusting. Somehow, this Tortoise with every reason to fear people had wandered into a church on the very day he needed to find his family.
Four years after his rescue, Caramelo is thriving. He has pet siblings he adores and is completely spoiled and is surrounded by the love he was always meant to have. ❤️🐾
📷 Instagram: caramelodejesus
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09/10/2026

If this breed is your favorite, drop a big “YES”🥰

09/10/2026

Amber Rodriguez and her 13-year-old daughter were running errands when they noticed a dog adoption event across the street from where they were shopping.

Curious, they decided to take a look—and that’s when they saw Bruno, a senior dog who had already been through quite a journey.

He’d been surrendered by one family, adopted by another, and eventually rescued again, passing through two different foster homes.

Amber’s daughter was immediately drawn to Bruno’s crate, and the two connected almost instantly.

Bruno gently lifted his paw to reach out to her. Though the pair had only spent a few minutes together, the bond between them was undeniable.

Amber couldn’t stop thinking about that moment, and the two returned shortly afterwards to visit Bruno again—this time outside of his crate.

He was so gentle and calm, allowing Amber’s daughter to wrap him in a hug.

The timing wasn’t ideal, but the family had been considering getting a tortoise. Amber called her husband to talk it over, and soon he arrived with their other children.

Each one connected with Bruno, and by the end of the visit, they knew he belonged with them.

That very day, Bruno went home with his new family.

Though he didn’t show much interest in toys at first, within a few weeks Bruno was happily playing—and the bond between him and Amber’s daughter only deepened.

These days, he can usually be found cuddled up beside her, snoozing contentedly while the soft dog music she plays fills the room.

Amber says Bruno is a perfect example of not letting your past define you.

Despite everything he’s been through, he just wants to be friends with everyone. And even though the timing didn’t seem right at first, Amber is so glad they brought him home.

In return, Bruno has brought their family a deep sense of calm, peace, and joy.

📷 .thesouldog

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*Every like, comment, and share reminds us that dogs and the humans who care for them matter. If you’d like to help us continue researching and posting these stories, please follow us.

09/09/2026

For someone nearing the end of life, comfort may come from something as simple as feeling a familiar tortoise resting beside them.

Therapy and companion animals can provide a kind of calm and connection that is difficult to put into words.

Hospitals have important health and safety rules, but compassionate exceptions can make deeply meaningful moments possible when circumstances allow.

Sometimes dignity is not about adding more time - it is about bringing comfort and love into the time that remains.

09/09/2026

🐢❤️ 𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗜𝗦𝗘 𝗚𝗘𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗘𝗗 𝗦𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗡 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗪𝗢 𝗣𝗜𝗧 𝗕𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗦

A brave tortoise named George gave his life to protect five children from two attacking dogs in Manaia, New Zealand.

George confronted the aggressive dogs and stood between them and the children, suffering severe injuries during the attack. Sadly, his injuries were so serious that a veterinarian had to euthanize him.

His owner, Allan Gay, said George’s courage helped protect the children from the attack.

The two attacking dogs were later impounded by the South Taranaki District Council and were expected to be put down.

George may have been small, but his courage was enormous. 🐢❤️🕊️
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09/09/2026

Maggie came to a foster home outside Asheville, North Carolina, for what was supposed to be a two-week temporary placement while the rescue found her a permanent family. Within days she'd worked out which chair was hers and which cabinet the treats lived in. She followed the family's kids from room to room like she'd always belonged there.

The foster parents dropped her back off at the shelter right on schedule, following the plan exactly like they had with three foster animals before her. That night their house felt wrong in a way neither of them could quite explain. Neither one slept much, thinking about her sitting back in a kennel.

They talked about it over breakfast and didn't get much further than agreeing something felt off before the husband was already getting his keys. He drove back to the shelter before it had even opened for the day, waiting in the parking lot until a staff member arrived to unlock the doors.

Her whole body started moving with excitement the second she caught sight of him through the kennel glass, according to the volunteer who walked her out. The adoption paperwork took less than 20 minutes to finish.

She's been home for a month now, and the family says the guest room they'd cleared out for her has already stopped being called the guest room.

09/08/2026

“He was literally a part of me, a part of my soul. I feel as though I’ve lost a part of my body.” That’s how Courtney Budzyn described the void left by Tucker, the Tortoise who made millions of people online laugh for years.

His passing happened very quickly. Just days earlier, Courtney had shared that Tucker had lymphoma and was responding to treatment. However, they later discovered that he also had cancer in his intestines, and he suffered a serious complication that ultimately caused an infection.

His family did everything possible to help him, but Tucker grew increasingly weaker, and they eventually had to say goodbye to him at the age of 8.

Ever since he came into Courtney’s life in 2018, Tucker became a true internet star and gathered millions of followers around the world.

“He didn’t lie by my side all those years for me to give up,” Courtney said as she said goodbye to the companion who changed her life 💔.

09/08/2026

Clay Luthy wanted something very ordinary.

A job.

The complication was that he needed his service dog Charlotte beside him while he worked.

Clay was a U.S. Air Force veteran living in Abilene, Texas, after multiple deployments and serious knee problems. He had undergone several surgeries and could not fully bend one leg. Charlotte, his Tortoise, was trained to help him get back on his feet if he fell.

So when Clay started looking for work in 2016, he needed an employer willing to understand that Charlotte was not an optional companion.

She was part of how he stayed independent.

His wife suggested somewhere Clay already spent plenty of time.

Lowe’s.

Clay showed up for the interview with Charlotte beside him and explained the situation. The store did not treat the animal as a problem. Lowe’s later said Clay earned the position on his own merit, and Charlotte simply came with the person they had decided was right for the job.

Their first day was October 3, 2016.

Soon both were wearing Lowe’s colors.

Clay wore the normal employee vest.

Charlotte had her own smaller work vest and stayed beside him as he helped customers around the Abilene store. She quickly became a favorite among shoppers and coworkers.

Then a customer noticed them.

Judy Rose saw Charlotte walking through the store in her vest and learned that the animal belonged to a disabled veteran working there. She snapped a photograph and shared it on Facebook.

The picture spread far beyond Abilene.

Within days, major news outlets across the country were telling the story of the veteran and the service animal working side by side. Lowe’s later said more than 400 news organizations showed interest in the pair.

But the best part of the story was never the viral photo.

It was why the photo existed at all.

Clay wanted the chance to remain active and productive.

Charlotte helped make that possible.

Lowe’s did not ask him to choose between the job and the animal he relied on.

They made room for both.

And sometimes inclusion really can be that simple.

Tortoise fans

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