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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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Most people who adopt a pet know very little about the animal’s life and have to settle for any information that is available. But that wasn’t true for Bandit’s new family who rescued him from a shelter, only to discover a heartbreaking note written by his former owner.
Bandit, who is believed to be a Labrador retriever and pit bull mix, was part of a loving family until he was surrendered to a local rescue in New York. In February 2020, the then 2-year-old pup caught the attention of Lauren Hichak-Mullins, 28, who instantly knew she wanted to give Bandit the forever home he deserved.
Hichak-Mullins, of Pleasant Valley, New York, didn’t know anything about Bandit’s past until the adoption was official. She told Newsweek that, when she arrived to complete the adoption and take Bandit home, it was "so bittersweet" when they handed her an envelope with a very important letter inside.
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Bandit’s previous owners typed out a letter to give to his new owners when he was finally chosen. It started by thanking them for choosing the pup and went on to explain why they made the "hardest decision" to rehome him. Bandit was uncomfortable around the family’s 1-year-old child, and they decided it was best to surrender the dog.
"When we went to finalize it, the rescue had that envelope with the letter, along with some of his belongings and medications," Hichak-Mullins said. "I was so touched that someone had taken the time to write a letter providing us with some background info about Bandit.
"It was so helpful to know the reason he had to be rehomed and that he was well loved and cared for before coming to us. My heart also broke for them. I could feel the devastation and heartbreak in the letter," Hichak-Mullins continued.
The envelope also included some puppy photos of Bandit, information about commands he knew, what treats he loves the most, and even contact information for his previous owners.
Of course, Hichak-Mullins has kept everything and said she is "beyond grateful" for the letter. Adopting an adult dog comes with many challenges, so any information about their past is hugely significant and appreciated.
Pictures of the tear-jerking letter were shared on Bandit’s dedicated TikTok account (@banditbuddha) and the post has since gone viral. In just a matter of days, the TikTok post has amassed over 1.1 million views and more than 143,000 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
The response is beyond anything Hichak-Mullins expected, but she has been so heartened by the online support.
She said: "I think many people resonated with his situation. It also offered a new perspective because, previously, many people, including myself, thought it wasn’t a loving thing to rehome a pet. But, with Bandit’s circumstances, it really was the safest decision for not only their family, but for Bandit."
More than six years after adopting him, Hichak-Mullins is still in contact with Bandit’s former owners. Indeed, they have even met up and gone for dog walks, and she tries to keep them up to date with photos.
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Bandit has shown just how loyal, loving, obedient (and sometimes chaotic) he can be. It is even become a running joke that he has an alter ego, named Bruce, who prefers not to follow rules. While Bandit is very reactive, Hichak-Mullins said she continues working with a trainer to help him and learn his cues.
Bandit is no longer the only dog in his household either, as Hichak-Mullins adopted Buddha in February 2026. Welcoming another canine wasn’t an easy decision, especially as Bandit can be reactive, but, after spending time with Buddha, it became clear that he was part of the pack.
"We started taking Buddha out for Sunday Social at the local rescue in July," Hichak-Mullins told Newsweek. "We took him out as many times as we could from July to February, and we fell in love with him. For now, both dogs stay on different floors, and we use gates to keep everyone safe. We are working super hard to eventually be able to have the two dogs coexist peacefully."
Many social media users were so moved by the heartbreaking letter from Bandit’s former owners, leading to almost 1,000 comments on the TikTok post so far.
One comment reads: "this is the first time I’ve seen a rehome that made sense. They clearly loved that doggy."
Another TikTok user wrote: "You can just read the absolute heartbreak in the letter. He was so so loved in his old home."
A third person added: "Oh this absolutely ruined me. I'm so glad he has two families who have loved him so deeply!"
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