It’s often said that kindness costs nothing, and a homeless man from Colombia is winning hearts online by proving just that.
After a video of him celebrating the birthday of one of his dogs went viral, he has not only received praise on the Internet, but has also emerged as a local “hero”, Telegrafi reports.
In a video shared on social media, the man is shown putting a party hat on two dogs and petting them.
Since no birthday party is complete without a cake, he then goes ahead and pulls a small cake out of a plastic bag.
Lighting some candles, the man is then heard singing “Happy Birthday” to his dogs and “showering” them with kisses.
And he doesn’t stop there. The man identified as Choco is then seen serving his dogs a piece of the cake before enjoying it himself.
Rótelo, a journalist who first posted the video, said the man lives on the street of the Cabecera neighborhood in Barranquilla, Bucaramanga.
Despite being homeless, the man is known for caring for his dogs and is often seen with his furry friends.
As the video went viral, many people came up to her and offered her love and some generous gifts.
Residents went to a meeting place in San Pío Park and donated some things to the man and his dogs.
Later in a live session on Instagram, Choco, whose real name is José Luis Matos, revealed that he is originally from the municipality of El Peñón.
He said the birthday party was to celebrate the fourth birthday of his black dog Shaggy in the video. His other dog, Nena, has been with him for 10 years and his birthday is in November.
Answering questions from people who joined him live, he said that physical abuse forced him to leave home and start living on the streets. /Telegraph/
Gen Z Are Buying Their Dogs Birthday Presents
Just over half Gen Z dog owners choose to spoil their pups by buying them birthday presents, according to a survey.
52% of Gen Z buy their dogs birthday presents every year—more than any other generation.
The survey was commissioned by The Pets Table and conducted online by Talker Research. It surveyed 2,000 dog owners between July 5 and July 9, 2024.
Respondents were asked how they like to spoil their dog, and two in five overall said they liked to buy their dogs presents to celebrate their birthday.
Some owners even choose to take the celebration a step further and host a full birthday party for their fur babies.
Three in five owners liked to spoil their dog with premium food and treats (62%), clothes (21%) and luxury grooming services (20%).
One owner said they spoil their dog with “walks and ice cream.”
“I tell him he’s a baby continually,” said another, in an “affirmation of love.”
Others disagreed with spoiling their dogs. One respondent said they “don’t feel that I spoil him.”
Another survey question asked what is the most amount of money respondents would “splurge” on their dog.
On average, dog parents would splash out on $612.10 worth of things for their dog every year; one in seven would even cross the $1,000 line on presents for their pet within a year.
The trend for high end pet products has been jumped on my companies, with Dolce & Gabbana even introducing a new alcohol-free perfume for dogs in Italy priced at $108 for a 3.4-ounce bottle.
Dogs are so important to owners that some would cut down on “everything” before deciding to cut down on their dog expenses.
One owner said they would cut down on “my extra pleasures” before cutting spending on their dog.
“I would do anything for my dog I will go without food if needed,” said another.
One pet parent said: “I don’t spend a lot of money on my clothing, but if I needed to cut back, I would not need to buy any clothes for the next year.”
The survey found that Gen Z are also the most likely to put their dog in a stroller.
Many dogs enjoy being pushed in a stroller, and 53% of Gen Z respondents agreed it was acceptable, compared to 39% of Millennials and 29% of Gen X.
Dogs are so highly regarded, that a majority of owners think of their dog as their child.
But it’s millennials who are most convinced: 87% agreed compared with 85% Gen X and 83% Gen Z.
Another finding was that most owners allow their dog in their own bed, despite the dangers.
The older the generation, the more likely they are to allow dogs in bed: 71% of boomers would let dogs in their bed, whereas only 65% of Gen Z would.
“Is letting your dog sleep in bed with you always a good thing? No,” Leigh Siegfried, a dog trainer based in Philadelphia, told Newsweek. “It can be dysfunctional, and it can undermine some dogs’ confidence in being left alone or worse still, lead to them developing separation anxiety.”
