Before the winds of Hurricane Helene swept through Florida, a tiny dog named Squirrel was left to face the chaos alone.

Her family packed up and disappeared, leaving her wandering the streets, confused and frightened.

When rescuers from Mercy Full Project, a nonprofit shelter in Tampa, found her, she was pacing near a flooded curb, trembling from fear and exhaustion. They scooped her up just hours before the storm hit, giving her the safety she no longer had.

A Pup Left Behind Before The Storm

From that moment, Squirrel’s world changed forever — but not in the way she hoped.

The family she trusted was gone, and no one came looking for her. Though the shelter kept her safe, the loneliness left a mark on her young heart.

The staff quickly realized that beneath her small frame and big brown eyes was a dog deeply afraid of being forgotten again.

Every thunderclap or closing door made her flinch, as if she feared she might lose someone all over again.

@mercyfullproject Squirrel is a little snuggly ball of energy now and is ready to start her new life with you. 🙂 #rescue #adoptme #adoptdontshop #animalrescue #rescuedog #hurricanehelene ♬ original sound – Mercy Full Project

The trauma of being abandoned left her with what rescuers gently called “clingy affection.” She needed constant reassurance — not food or toys, but touch. For Squirrel, love had become survival.

The Puppy Who Just Wants To Be Held

When Squirrel arrived at the shelter, she was barely more than a baby.

Staff members remember her sitting in the corner of her kennel, silent and shivering.

At first, she didn’t bark or wag her tail. She only watched every person who passed, her eyes full of pleading hope. It didn’t take long for everyone to realize what she was trying to say.

@mercyfullproject She’s just a baby 🥹 #squirrel #rescue #animalrescue #resuedog #chihuahua #adoptme ♬ original sound – Song-_-

The moment someone knelt down and opened her gate, she leapt into their arms.

The second she felt their hands around her, her entire body softened — as if the weight of the world had been lifted. Being held was the only thing that made her stop shaking.

Each time a volunteer walked by, she would stand up on her hind legs and paw at the bars, begging to be picked up again.

In one now-viral TikTok shared by Mercy Full Project, Squirrel can be seen climbing up the sides of her kennel, her little paws gripping the metal as she reaches toward a staff member.

When they finally give in and hold her, her energy melts into calm. Her tiny chest presses against theirs, and her breathing slows. For Squirrel, that simple embrace means everything.

@mercyfullproject Replying to @dr.mimi03 Squirrel is overwhelmed by all the love 🥰 #adoptme #rescue #rescuedog #animalrescue ♬ original sound – Kat

Viewers online quickly fell in love with her. “She’s just a baby who wants love,” one commenter wrote, echoing the feeling of thousands who saw her story.

Many couldn’t believe how much emotion one small dog could carry in her eyes — a mixture of joy, sadness, and desperate hope.

Finally Chosen — And Never Alone Again

It didn’t take long for Squirrel’s story to reach hearts far beyond Florida. Within days, messages poured in from people eager to meet her.

Families visited the shelter just to hold the little dog who loved hugs more than anything.

The adoption line stretched with smiles and soft words — everyone wanted a chance to give her the warmth she’d been missing.

Among those visitors was the family who would soon become her forever home. When they stepped into her kennel, Squirrel recognized something she hadn’t felt since before the storm — safety.

She leapt into their arms and refused to let go. The shelter staff watched with tears in their eyes as Squirrel nestled against her new family’s chest, her tail wagging for the first time in days.

Now, she no longer presses her paws against cold metal or climbs bars for comfort. Instead, she wakes up every morning tucked under soft blankets, her head resting on her adopter’s lap.

She’s learning what it means to be loved without limits — not just for a moment, but for life.

Her rescuers at Mercy Full Project still think of her often.

They say her story reminds them why they do this work — because every frightened animal deserves a chance to feel safe again. And thanks to one family’s open heart, Squirrel will never have to face another storm alone.