Adoption events start loud and hopeful; people smile, dogs head home, and volunteers juggle leashes and paperwork. Then, it slows down. The crowd thins, the goodbyes wrap up, and one dog is still there when the rest have gone. That’s the tearjerking moment this video lands on. Shared by @lancasteranimalslaco, it follows Waldomar, a Lab, at a Dodgers adoption event where every other dog finds a family, and he doesn’t. Instead of the day ending there, the Dodgers’ mascot notices him. He kneels and turns what could’ve been a lonely moment into one where Waldomar is seen, comforted, and reminded he’s still a very good boy.
Shelter dog gets comforted by Dodgers mascot after not being adopted in video
Once you see Waldomar with the mascot, it’s hard not to feel for him. The Dodgers mascot kneels so Waldomar can approach at his own pace, and he does. He accepts the pets, then turns his body slightly, as if making sure every possible inch is included in the scritches. He’s gentle, patient, and seems grateful just to be noticed.
Then the sweetest thing happens. The mascot lowers himself all the way to the ground, inviting Waldomar into a hug instead of towering over him. Waldomar leans in, settles beside him, and soaks it up. There’s something heartbreaking about how natural it feels. It’s almost like he’s been holding all that steadiness together all day and finally gets a minute to rest. He sniffs the mascot’s face and stays close for a beat longer. And only then does the interaction end, with a slight wave goodbye.
According to the shelter, Waldomar arrived at Lancaster Care Center as an injured stray and spent nearly two months waiting with little interest. The adoption event was meant to be his turning point. He did everything right: met people kindly, stayed calm around kids, and other dogs. However, when the day wrapped up, he was still without a home. He’s since been transferred to Agoura Animal Care Center for another chance. But he’s still waiting.
Waldomar is a four-year-old, neutered Labrador mix, weighing approximately 88 pounds. And by all accounts, a very good boy. The video has over 19,000 likes, and the comments echo the same hope: that someone sees him the way the mascot did, not as the dog who was left behind, but as the one worth stopping for.
