Sometimes, life’s most profound connections are forged in the unlikeliest moments. For Abby Ellis, a 16-year-old girl from Charleston, West Virginia, the bond she shares with her dog, Picaso, began on a night she almost didn’t attend a local holiday parade. What started as a stressful evening turned into an unforgettable meeting that felt less like coincidence and more like destiny. It wasn’t just that Picaso was there at the right time—it felt like he was meant to be there for her.

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The story of Picaso began in 2021 when a kind stranger discovered the Plott hound mix roaming the streets of Charleston. The dog was brought to the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association, where staff originally intended to name him Picasso. But thanks to a small typo in the shelter’s records, the name stuck as Picaso. The dog wasn’t wearing any identification and had no microchip, so after waiting 19 days unclaimed, the staff began the search for his forever home.

It didn’t take long for the shelter staff to notice his gentle personality and affectionate nature. Picaso’s charm earned him a spot in a local holiday parade, where he walked alongside other adoptable dogs. Volunteer Kim Vigneau was tasked with walking him, and their connection was instant. “When I first met him, he immediately hugged me,” Vigneau recalled to The Dodo. “He loves to give hugs. He was so sweet. My goal that night was to get him adopted.”

Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association/Facebook

As Vigneau and Picaso navigated the bustling parade route, something extraordinary happened. Despite the crowd and chaos, Picaso zeroed in on one person—a teenage girl sitting on the curb. “We were in the middle of the road when he suddenly pulled me toward her,” Vigneau said. “She looked upset. He put his head against hers, offering comfort in a way that was so natural for him. The girl smiled, and I could see how much he was helping her.”

That girl was Abby Ellis, who lives with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition that affects blood flow and can trigger fainting spells and anxiety. On the night of the parade, she was overwhelmed and in the middle of an anxiety attack. Her mother, Melissa Smoot, was by her side, trying to assist when Picaso intervened. “Abby’s head was down on her knees, and she was leaning forward,” Smoot explained to The Dodo. “Picaso got under her and gently pushed her back. He gave her just enough stability to keep her from falling.”

Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association/Facebook

Ellis vividly remembers the moment Picaso approached her. “I felt his nose against mine,” she shared. “I started to pet him, and I felt safe. My mom asked what his name was.” Though Smoot got his name that night, their immediate priority was getting Abby home to rest. The mother-daughter duo left while Vigneau and Picaso returned to the parade. But the memory of the dog stayed with Smoot long after the event.

The next day, unable to forget the dog who had helped her daughter, Smoot took Ellis to the shelter. When Picaso saw her again, there was no mistaking his recognition. He ran straight to her and wrapped her in one of his signature hugs. “I was so excited,” Ellis said. Smoot felt certain in that moment that Picaso belonged with them. “Abby had been asking for a dog for over a year,” Smoot said. “I prayed for a sign that she was ready, and then this happened. Someone called it a God wink, and that’s exactly what it was.”

On his 20th day at the shelter, Picaso found his forever home with Ellis and her family. Vigneau, who had hoped to see him adopted, was thrilled by the outcome. “It was incredible,” she said. “I also have anxiety, so I know how much it helps to have support during those moments. It’s wonderful that people are talking about this.”

For Smoot, there’s no question that their meeting with Picaso was fate. Despite Abby’s usual discomfort with crowds, she had insisted on going to the parade that evening. “It felt like it was meant to happen,” Smoot said. Ellis, now the proud owner of a dog who senses her needs, couldn’t agree more. “I’m just really happy he chose me,” she said.

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