PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The Truppi family already had a doggy duo— 8-year-old Ringo and 5-year-old Donnie. But when Melissa spotted a WPTV Underdog on her Facebook feed, she knew their family wasn't quite complete yet.
The post showcased 2-month-old Koda, featured as the "Underdog of the Day" on WPTV.
"I saw your post on Facebook and was like, 'Oh my God, he's perfect. He's just what we wanted,'" Melissa recalled.
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She immediately reached out to anchor Tania Rogers, who had shared Koda's story.
"I messaged you asking, 'Do you know what kind of breed he is?' And you said, 'Oh, I think Chihuahua mix. He's at the Humane Society of Treasure Coast," Mellisa said.
Melissa took a screenshot of the photo, sent it to her husband Eric, and gave him a mission to bring Koda home. Eric didn't waste time, and was at the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast by 8:45 a.m.
"I was hoping to be the first one there," Eric said. "There was nobody in the parking lot when I arrived, so that was a good feeling. I even called ahead, but they said they couldn't hold him — I had to be there in person."
After filling out the paperwork, Koda officially had his forever home. Since then, he's been living his best puppy life — from trips to the dog beach to bonding with his new canine siblings.
"It was perfect timing," Eric reflected. "It was exactly what we were looking for, and it was just a godsend."
For Melissa, there's an extra layer of meaning to their new addition.
"When I was 18, I adopted a dog named Cody," Melissa said. "So now I have Koda."
