Pit Bull Whose Owner Passed Away Finds a New Home with Caring UPS Driver

When a tiny pit bull pup first showed up at her home, the woman who would become his owner, Tina, knew that taking care of the little dog would have its challenges. Tina’s son, Cannon, brought the puppy home, but he was incredibly young—too young to even eat solid foods at the time. Still, when Tina saw the little guy, she knew he was going to need a lot of care—and that’s exactly what she gave him.

Tina named the young pit bull Leo and fed him with bottles until he had grown enough to eat puppy chow, and during that time she grew very attached to the little dog. Over time Leo gained strength and continued to mature, transforming into a big, healthy-looking canine. Leo now had lots of energy and a friendly personality that enchanted many he met, including a local UPS driver named Katie Newhouser.

Contrary to the stereotypes about big dogs and mail deliverers, Leo and Newhouser got along famously. Every day, Leo would rush out to greet Newhouser, and she would greet him with a treat. “He would hear my truck come into the condo complex and start barking and scratching at the door to come down to the truck,” Newhouser said, speaking with PupJournal.

“He would love to come into the truck and go into the back to look around. I remember one day I was driving up one of my busier streets and they were coming down the street and all of a sudden there was Leo popping his head out the passenger side barking at me! He barked all the way down the street!”

Sadly, when Tina passed away unexpectedly, there was uncertainty about what was going to happen to Leo. Although Tina’s son, Cannon, cared about Leo, his military career made it impossible for him to adopt the dog.

Thankfully, the bond Leo had formed with Newhouser made her take a personal interest in his future. When she asked Cannon if she could provide a home for Leo, Cannon agreed. Newhouser brought Leo home to live with her two other dogs: Bailey and Moose. Although Leo had grown up as an only-pup, he soon adjusted to life with his two new canine siblings, and now the three dogs are getting along great.

“It was probably confusing for him at first, [but] he has adapted well,” Newhouser said. “He and his brother, Moose, are inseparable. Bailey, his sister, has taken a while to come around, [but] they actually play now . . . once Leo was introduced into the house, the whole vibe changed.”

While Leo has certainly seen his share of adversity throughout his life, from leaving his mother at such a young age to losing Tina, there have always been kindhearted people to help him through the hard times. However, it seems as though the hard times may finally be over for this loving, loyal dog.