Tuna's journey: From homelessness to Instagram stardom
He has almost two million followers on Instagram and enjoys more popularity than many influencers. Who are we talking about? Mr. Herschel Burns, known as Tuna, is a dog who has won the hearts of internet users worldwide. However, his story could have turned out very differently.
6:13 PM EDT, July 29, 2024
Many people are concerned about the problems of homeless dogs and cats. Unfortunately, not every abandoned animal is lucky enough to find a new, loving home. Tuna's unusual appearance scared away potential adoptive guardians—until Courtney Dasher came into the picture.
Love at first sight
It all started when Courtney moved to Los Angeles and felt lonely. On a friend's advice, she offered a temporary home to a dog of her choice. She wanted to see how she would handle the dog mom role. She wasn't entirely sure if having a pet permanently would be a good idea because she led an intense professional and social life and lived in a small apartment. Nonetheless, she decided to visit a local market where one of the foundations presented animals for weekly adoption.
After a brief conversation with a volunteer, Courtney decided she wanted to try fostering a dog. It was time to choose a puppy. Among all of them, one particularly caught her attention. He was tiny, shivering from the cold, and had a significantly recessed lower jaw and a wrinkled neck. To many, he might have seemed the ugliest, but to Courtney, he was special.
She wasn't ready for adoption, quickly changed her plans
Initially unsure whether she should become Tuna's permanent guardian, Courtney realized just before returning him to the foundation that she couldn't part with him.
On Tuesday evening, the day before I was supposed to return the puppy to Robin, I met with friends. I thought I loved this little dog and should adopt it, but she confessed that everyone started discouraging me from this idea, explaining that I'm never home, so it would be irresponsible to adopt a dog. But against all odds, she became the owner of Wormie, as the volunteer had named him.
After the adoption, she decided to change the dog's name. In high school, I occasionally cared for a little boy named Herschel. A lovely name for a dachshund-type dog! So the choice fell on Mr. Herschel Burns, she explained. But over time, she started calling him Tooney and then simply Tuna.
The most popular dog on the internet?
Courtney is not only active online. She wrote a book about her adventures with Tuna, which quickly gained popularity. She also participates in numerous events promoting animal adoption, often appearing with her four-legged friend.
In 2011, she created an Instagram account for her pet and started sharing his photos. That's when his dog career took off. Currently, Tuna has 1.9 million followers, and his specific underbite melts the hearts of many internet users.
