On September 15, Steve Wruble was in line at a Starbucks in New York City when he noticed a dog sitting in a backpack on a man’s shoulders. After an immediate connection with the dog, named Missy, who was being carried by content creator Bryan Reisberg, Wruble left his contact information with Bideawee, the shelter where Missy had been staying for about a month. He thought about her throughout the day and decided to adopt her that night.
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Three days later, Wruble returned to Bideawee, officially adopting Missy and renaming her Misty. This adoption happened unusually quickly, even by Reisberg’s standards. According to The Washington Post, he had taken more than 60 dogs on outings to help them get adopted, but none found homes as fast as Missy.
Bryan Reisberg’s initiative of taking shelter dogs on outings started after he began carrying his corgi, Maxine, in a backpack. After receiving a ticket for not using a proper carrier on the New York City subway, he began sharing their adventures online. This led to a substantial social media following and helped raise awareness about shelter pet adoption.
In 2025, Maxine was placed on crate rest due to severe arthritis. Around this time, Chris Equale, a fellow content creator, suggested Reisberg take adoptable dogs on outings. Reisberg’s first outing featured Axl, a puppy from Best Friends Animal Society, and was a success, going viral and resulting in Axl’s quick adoption. Reisberg decided to continue these weekly excursions, providing an opportunity for the dogs to showcase their personalities outside the shelter.
During these outings, Reisberg takes dogs to various locations in New York City, including Central Park and pet stores, where they can enjoy treats like whipped-cream “pup cups.” He documents each trip and posts videos on social media, which typically lead to rapid adoptions. By June 2026, Reisberg had helped 36 dogs find homes. His efforts earned him a 2026 Webby Award for his cause-driven advertising.
Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society, noted an increase in interest from potential adopters due to Reisberg's featured dogs. The organization received support from a New Yorker who sponsored 100 backpacks for each adoption. This inspired the launch of the Adventure Buddies program, allowing volunteers to take shelter dogs on outings for social interaction outside the shelter environment.
Misty's swift adoption highlights a critical aspect of animal welfare, as millions of dogs and cats cycle through U.S. shelters annually. The 2025 Annual Data Report from Shelter Animals Count estimated that 5.8 million pets entered shelters in 2025, while 4.2 million were adopted. Comparatively, the ASPCA recorded approximately 597,000 animals euthanized in U.S. shelters that year. While this report does not conclude that such initiatives, like Reisberg’s, universally lead to faster adoptions, it underscores ongoing efforts to connect shelter animals with potential adopters.
For Misty, the journey from a brief encounter at Starbucks to a forever home happened almost instantly.