Last year, an NBC4 viewer saw a dog on TV and knew right away she would fill a big void for his family.
Today she's named Mazie, but when we first met her, she was called Tiny, a pit bull and one of the last dogs profiled by reporter Robert Kovacik during last year's Clear the Shelters campaign.
"The dog was licking his face and I said to my wife, 'She's exactly the kind of dog we've been looking for,'" David Kent said.
It was just a month before that Kent and his wife lost their beloved pit bull, Smoochy.
"It felt kind of lonely around here without a dog," he said.
The East Valley shelter was just about to close. Kent and his wife maybe had about an hour to get there.
"Just jumped in the car, basically I almost had my PJs on," he said.
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Tiny likely didn't care what Kent was or wasn't wearing. She was just happy he was there.
"We went over and took a look at her in her cage and she just warmed right up to us and fell in love with her," he said.
Months later, their love is stronger than ever. Kent said it took Mazie a little over a month to get settled to feel like part of the family - and to one with the family cats.
"We'll go to bed there and she's asleep in a pile with two or three of the cats," Kent said.
Kent said he wanted a dog, who like Smoochy, he could have around his children and grandchildren.
"It's a shame they get the bad press that they do," Kent said. "They don't deserve it."
Tiny, once a shelter dog likely with tiny amounts of time left, is now surrounded by a family with big hearts and so much love to give.
Don't be surprised if you see Kent back at our Clear the Shelters event this Saturday. He's looking to possibly get a playmate for Mazie.
