Heartbroken rescue dog of detained family ignored everyone at the shelter — until a visitor spoke the words that made him obey every command

With his owner in ICE detention, King was surrendered so the family could focus on their loved one.

PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO

A volunteer with a rescue dog in animal shelter. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Camille Tokerud)

A heartwarming moment shared by Amy, who goes by @amymaurercreel on TikTok, has captured the attention of many, telling the story of a rescue dog named King who was struggling to connect with his foster family. Despite their best efforts, something was missing until a simple, yet unexpected interaction turned everything around. The dog's behavior changed in an instant, leaving everyone in awe. When one visitor spoke to the dog, her words were instantly understood by him, revealing why the family hadn’t been able to connect with King all along.

A shelter dog looking out from a cage (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Anita Kot) — A sad shelter dog looking out from a cage. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Anita Kot)

King, a heartbroken rescue dog, whose original owner was reported to be in an ICE detention center, was surrendered by the family so they could focus their resources on helping their loved one. "They just need to put all of their time and energy and resources into helping their family member, so King is with me and we are working on getting him a forever home," Amy shared. He had been ignoring everyone at the shelter, showing little interest in responding to commands or connecting with those around him. Amy, who had been fostering him, struggled to bond with him despite her efforts. "He's been doing really well. I have felt that it was kind of difficult to connect with him for some reason." That was, until a chance encounter with an ESOL teacher visiting to see some kittens.

A woman sitting in front of a golden retriever kept inside a cage at an animal shelter (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Zbynek Pospisil) — A woman sitting in front of a golden retriever kept inside a cage at an animal shelter. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Zbynek Pospisil)

During the visit, the teacher asked, “Have you tried speaking to him in Spanish?” Amy was surprised. "I hadn't tried that because I don't speak Spanish, so she said, 'Let me try it,' and guess what? He understood," she explained. In the video shared by Amy, viewers can see King’s transformation. He not only responded but also sat on command, a stark contrast to his previous indifference. "I bet hearing his language was so comforting," Amy reflected in the caption, as the dog seemed to settle into a sense of ease.

@amymaurercreel
I bet hearing his language was so comforting 🥹
♬ original sound - Nostalgia Library

The clip instantly went viral with many users leaving warm messages in the comment section. Numerous TikTok users also came forward to volunteer as foster parents for the adorable rescue dog. @meganmykal44 wrote, "Hey Amy, I DM'd you, but I know I don't read most of my DMs, so I'm commenting here also. I'd love to foster King until his family is ready to bring him home. Whether that's for a year or indefinitely is fine with me." While @ita_zzz shared, "This is why my dogs don't speak my native language. I'm a foreigner living in the US. People are surprised when they learn I only speak English with my dogs. In case something happens, I want people to be able to communicate with them." @senseisyd commented, "Poor bud, just waiting to understand someone! I hope his previous owners are able to fight their ICE case."

For more rescue dog content, follow @amymaurercreel on TikTok.