Early this year, a video shared on Instagram showing a homeless man throwing a dog birthday party for his canine buddy went viral. The scene was captured on camera by a person who happened to pass by a local park in Bucaramanga, Colombia. On the three-minute-long video clip, the homeless guy is seen sitting on the steps of a park together with his two dogs. With the two lovely doggos wearing party hats, it’s easy to assume that someone’s having a very special day. The man then brought out a cake from a plastic bag, placed two candles on it and lighted it up before he started singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the dark-colored dog.
Even without a clear audio or subtitles, it’s very clear to everyone what’s happening on the video clip. One of the dogs is having a birthday and the homeless guy is throwing a party for his loyal companion. It was indeed a heartwarming moment but what happened next is what melted everyone’s heart. After singing the birthday song, the man blew up the candles and kissed both of his doggos before slicing up the cake into tiny pieces for the three of them. Watching his dogs dig into the birthday treat, the man can be seen breaking down in tears.
This Viral Video Showing A Homeless Guy Throwing A Dog Birthday Party For His Loyal Companions
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The witness shared the touching video on Instagram and it quickly became one of the most trending videos on several social media platforms. Interested about the man on the viral video, local media tried their best to contact him to know more about him. Local residents who frequent the park say that the man on the video was a street dweller named Choko who is always seen accompanied by his two furry dogs named Shaggy and Nena. Local media and bloggers were able to find him for some interviews. Unaware of his viral video, Choko woke up in surprise one morning when he saw a lot of people around asking him for an interview.
Choko With His Dogs, Shaggy and Nena
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At first, Choko thought he had done something wrong for the sudden ‘interrogation’. But when they showed him the video, he realized that he is obliged to share details of that heartwarming moment that would later change his life. Choko Jose Luis Matos left his home years ago to escape the constant abuse and mistreatment from his abusive mother. He had been living on the streets of Colombia since then. Life on the streets is harsh and every single minute of it was a struggle. But no matter how difficult it is, Choko never resorted to stealing or any illegal acts.
Choko Left His Home At An Early Age To Escape Mistreatment From His Abusive Mother
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After working as a fisherman in Barrancabermeja for years, he decided to move to Bucaramanga to work as a glass cleaner. When he was sitting at a park one day and just when hopelessness started eating him up, he met a stray dog and named her Nena. The dog came as a ray of new hope for him and Nena’s companionship motivated him to fight for life. Four years later, he rescued Shaggy from his previous owner who wanted to get rid of him.
His Dogs Nena And Shaggy Served As His Only Hope In Life
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Choko has always been with his two dogs since then and they’re not just pets for him – they’re his family. Came Shaggy’s birthday, Choko was planning to surprise him with a chicken quarter but he simply couldn’t afford it. As if it was a blessing, he saw a woman trying to throw away a cake and stopped her. He asked if he could have the cake instead, which the woman did. After buying some candles, he picked up some plates and a knife, thoroughly cleaned them, and went to the park with his dogs to celebrate Shaggy’s birthday party.
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His uplifting story touched the hearts of many people. Donations came pouring in for Choko and his dogs from various parts of the world. Choko has an Instagram page which he created in 2019. After the viral video, his number of followers skyrocketed to 187k as of this writing. Choko was grateful to the person who recorded the birthday party and shared it online. He acknowledges the fame and the worldwide support he’s receiving to finally afford a home and food – not just for Nena and Shaggy – but for other street dogs in need of help.
“In so many years living on the street I was never alone,” Matos shares, “my dogs were always there to bring joy to many sad days and now together we are going to help many who need us!”
Thanks To The Viral ‘Dog Birthday Party’ Video, Choko Can Now Afford A Home For His Dogs
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As A Victim Of Abuse Himself, Choko Vows To Fight Animal Abuse And Help More Street Dogs As Much As He Can
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Follow Choko on Instagram to see what Shaggy, Nena, and the rest of his canine squad are up to. You can also support his cause in helping more street dogs and his fight against animal abuse by sending in donations via his Nequi and Paypal accounts listed on his Instagram page.
Source: Instagram