On Monday, December 7, 2020, Nádia Rosângela was walking through a plaza called Praça Monsenhor Lopes in Inhuma, Brazil to enjoy the local Christmas decorations.
But she saw one thing that looked out of place in a nativity scene. The manger, typically left empty until Christmas Day, had something in it.
What child is this?
As they approached the manger, they saw a puppy sound asleep.
“When we went to see the crib, she was there sleeping in the manger. For me, who am a Christian, it was very significant. That scene made me very emotional, ” she told Globo’s G1 News.
Going viral
Rosângela took photos of the adorable interloper and posted them to social media, where ’tis the season for such things to go viral.
“I was surprised. It was so beautiful!” Rosângella told The Dodo. “Such a lovely and pure scene.”
Others thought so too as people clamored to adopt the stray puppy. After finding someone to take in the pup, Rosângella went back to the plaza to fetch her.
But she wasn’t there.
“The next day, we went to look for her, but we didn’t find it. In the afternoon, I saw the puppy again, I left my son at home and, on the way back, I didn’t find her anymore,” she told Globo.
At some point, those trying to help the stray puppy heard she had a sister as well, so animal lovers kept their eyes peeled for both dogs. After all, that manger was probably one of the more comfortable places to sleep – aside from all the paparazzi – so there was a good chance of a return.
But who would take in these babies?
It didn’t take long – just a day – to find the manger puppy. On Wednesday, a friend of Rosângella’s located the pup and got in touch.
But unfortunately, the person who offered to take her in backed out at the last minute.
Luckily, one more day was all it took to find a new, suitable home.
Another friend of Rosângella’s found the pup’s sister.
“The sister was found at dawn on Wednesday. A friend of mine found her and ended up getting attached. So he decided to stay with her,” she reported.
Francisco José decided he just couldn’t give up the second pup and named her Shunrei.
As for Rosângella, she’s thrilled everything turned out so well.
“I feel happy and at peace knowing she’s safe,” she told The Dodo. “I love animals very much, and wish the same for all of them.”
Manger mania
This pup isn’t the first to take over the bed of baby Jesus around Christmastime. In fact, it isn’t even the first puppy in Brazil to go viral for its nativity takeover.
In 2008, a stray German Shepherd puppy was found sleeping in the manger of a nativity scene in Santa Catarin, Brazil.
And much like the female puppy, compassionate animal lovers gathered around for photos, posted, them, and received multiple offers to adopt him.
He also went missing immediately after his viral fame, but since he was never officially located, it’s assumed that one of the potential adopted just went to the scene and picked him up to make his Christmas even brighter.
Make sure you check out your local nativity scene next time you walk by!
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