'He started acting like a wild animal': Person rescues an unusual "puppy" from underneath a shed, then forms a heartwarming bond with 'Chupey' proving that love doesn't need a perfect face

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Oct 11, 2026 10:45 AM EDT

In a world where "pretty privilege" grabs most people's attention, there's Chupey. Chupey is an animal that everyone would look at twice, but not for the right reasons. They might laugh at him, or be afraid of him. But Chupey deserves to be loved like everyone else, and he can teach us an impawtant lesson: that love is far deeper than what we see on the outside.

When you go to the animal shelter to adopt a pet, you're filled with excitement and potential. Which cute pup will draw my eye and then show me that they're the right one to bring into my home? Everybody searches for that instantaneous bond, but where does it all start? How they look. For dogs like Chupey, who are easily described as "different" or "special," this is the factor that keeps them from getting adopted. It pains me to admit it, but it's true. Special needs dogs, like those with birth defects or who are survivors of accidents, are far less adopted than those without. You don't need to be an expert to understand that fact once you realize that most people shop with their eyes first.

Chupey looked unusual from the beginning. When his pawrent found him as a "puppy" underneath a shed, she brought him in not knowing what he was. He looked something like a mix between a coyote and a chupacabra. She brought him to her vet, and even the vet said, "What did you bring me?" You know that when the vet doesn't know how to identify the animal you brought them, you might be in trouble. But, she felt a responsibility for his health and safety, and so she kept him, and ended up falling more and more in love with his goofy personality every day.

Now, 7 years later, Chupey is still playing, messing up the bed, and talking back to his human mom with the same sass he had as a puppy. Turns out that he is, in fact, a dog, mainly a pit bull and rottweiler mix 

We can learn a lot from Chupey's story. Too often, we stop at the surface level when judging others. If everyone simply looked at Chupey as he was on the outside, no one would get to see his playful nature and kind heart. He is a survivor, and just because he was born different, doesn't mean that he's any less deserving of love than any other dog. He snuggles just like everyone else, wags his tail in excitement when his pawrent comes home like everyone else… he just has a smile that takes a little getting used to.

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    No one saw this kind of puppy before
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    cddl_buddies 21w Is it a bear or a coyote?? Special thanks to Chupey & Kaley: @cheers.for.chupey
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    And that's how I met Chupey.
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    Cheezburger Image 10669613056
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  • The story with his name is that they named him ‘Chupey’ because it's short for chupacabra. With his backwards-folded ears, his exposed teeth, and this small eyes, he truly looks like some sort of evil cryptid from a kid's fairy tale. But, just like most “evil” characters, he's simply misunderstood. Take Te Ka from Moana, she is the evil villain of the story, but her rage comes from being stripped of part of herself. Or Shere Khan from The Jungle Book. His hatred of humans makes a lot more sense when you remember what humans do to animals and wild habitats. He sees Mowgli not simply as a child, but as the beginning of a threat to the jungle.

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    And I didn't know if I could help him,
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    but he's mostly normal on the inside
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    but he's mostly normal on the inside
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    Cheezburger Image 10669611776
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    He slept and slept
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    And the vet said: "You know,
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    I was surprised at just how
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    Ո
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    Where did you put it?
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    Chupey liked listening to him talk back. PLA 00030 HAPPYLOVE WOOF
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    Cheezburger Image 10669612800
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  • His mom didn't rescue Chupey because he was conventionally adorable. She rescued the puppy who looked strange, seemed developmentally behind, and potentially came with a lifetime of medical uncertainty. But through all of that, she discovered that underneath all of that was an extremely affectionate, playful dog she couldn't give up. It's a reminder that all of those superficial expectations we come with when looking for a good canine pawtner are irrelevant when there is enough love and respect between doggo and human.

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    Cheezburger Image 10669611520
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    305 that I knew that he was gonna stay.
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    СХИРЕТН
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    I just made that bed.
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    dog Now it's been seven years.
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    So I always told myself:
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wild animals heartwarming puppy Dog Rescue
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