Piglet, an adorable blind and deaf pink puppy, goes viral for a good cause
Piglet is a pink puppy who was rescued by veterinarian Melissa Shapiro from a hoarding situation in Georgia, along with his little mates and mom.
The dachshund-chihuahua mix has two dapple-colored parents — a common Daschund pattern that sort of looks like a marbling effect. When two dapple dogs breed, there is a 25 percent chance of each puppy being "double dapple," which is what Piglet is.
The double-dapple pattern is typically linked to ear and eye defects as well, which is why Piglet is blind and deaf.
When Shapiro first brought Piglet home, he was reportedly too anxious to ever be left alone. According to People Magazine, Piglet would scream and cry constantly and couldn't play with other dogs.
But Piglet's disabilities haven't stopped him from living his life to the fullest. He purportedly overcame his anxieties, and his Instagram — which has 166,000 followers — is now filled with photos of himself exploring the world.
“When we kept him, I said he needs to have some bigger meaning,” Shapiro said.
After Piglet became a mini-celebrity on social media, Shapiro said she heard about a third-grade teacher who used Piglet as a model for a positive-growth mindset for her students. Loving the idea, she started promoting the Piglet Mindset Outreach program, which offers free lesson plans and stories that aim to teach children how to face challenges and work with what they have.
All profits off of any Piglet merchandise are donated to special needs dog rescues around the U.S.
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