Tears as Toddler Becomes 'Loving' Foster Brother to Five Rescue Puppies

Most kids dream of the day their parents come home unexpectedly with a new puppy – but one lucky toddler was extra surprised, as he was confronted suddenly with five rescue puppies in need of lots of love and playtime.

Kristin Erwin first heard about the puppies when a local resident took them in and was pleading for help as she'd become "overwhelmed by the number of dogs." Erwin and her friend, Megan Josey, offered help by delivering food, administering medication and de-worming the pups, but when she went back a week later, she couldn't possibly leave without them.

Erwin, from Texas, told Newsweek that she "just couldn't walk away a second time," and she texted her husband to see what he thought about taking care of the abandoned puppies. "He didn't have to tell me twice, as they were already loaded in the back of my van," she joked.

The puppies are thought to be around 10 to 11 weeks old and mostly German shepherd, but with a mix of other breeds too.

"We rescued them from a dead-end road where people are known to dump dogs. One of the homeowners on the street put out a plea for help. The mom was also one of several adults who was rescued, and they were spayed but unfortunately, they tested positive for heartworm, so we're preparing them for treatment," Erwin continued.

Adopting and fostering animals are critically important as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) estimates that 3.1 million dogs enter shelters across the country every year. While around 2 million get adopted, there are many more waiting to find a home, leaving shelters overflowing and struggling to accommodate them all.

Thankfully, Erwin doesn't have to care for these puppies alone because her three-year-old son Henry is more than happy to get involved. He loves to run around the yard and have the puppies follow him wherever he goes, and sometimes they'll even join him in the sandbox.

Erwin added that Henry is "never ready to stop playing," but of course the rescue pups also need lots of beauty sleep. "Henry will play with them for an hour straight and gets sad when I tell him it's time to put them up for a little while. He is in love with them and loves having them around," Erwin told Newsweek.

As much as Henry has fallen in love with the dogs, it's only a temporary foster until they're either adopted or taken to a shelter to be put up for adoption there. While it won't be the easiest goodbye, Erwin knows that "there are more puppies and dogs out there" who need her help, so Henry will make many more canine friends in the future.

"It makes me so happy to see him be so loving and gentle with the puppies. I hope in the future, he'll have the same passion as I do with helping animals."

The Social Media Reaction

Shortly after welcoming the foster puppies into her home, Erwin shared a video of Henry and his new four-legged friends on Instagram (@streetheartstx). The clip went viral with more than 1 million views and 133,000 likes already, leaving hearts well and truly melted.

The post was certainly a delight for many, but Erwin also hopes to continue showing just how many animals are searching for a forever home.

She said: "Texas is drowning in puppies. I'm so glad we were able to help these sweet babies so we can get them vetted, fixed, and adopted safely, but there are so many others out there. Spaying and neutering are the only solutions to decrease the stray dog population."

The viral Instagram video has gained more than 1,300 comments already, with one person writing: "Oh to be a toddler drowning in a puddle of puppies."

Another person joked: "Now you have 6 toddlers."

While another Instagram user responded: "He's having a blast with those puppies."

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