Philly man rescues dog while on vacation in Puerto Rico: 'The dog chooses you'

NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA - A Northeast Philadelphia man and his girlfriend get quite an unexpected twist during a recent vacation.

It was Eddie and Krystal’s first full day in Puerto Rico, back in May, when a stray puppy decided to tag along on their trip.

Eddie said, "As soon as we got out of the car, she came trotting up."

After Eddie gave the pup a little something to eat, she was like glue.

Krystal said she led them through the mangroves to a hidden beach, adding, "She took a nap with us. She played in the water with Eddie."

Eddie sadly continued, "When it was time to leave, I hoped she would  stay, just because I didn’t want to leave her. I didn’t want her to follow us back, but she did. She chased the car."

And, Krystal interjected, "I was like, ‘I don’t know how we can leave her today.’ It was tough."

Eddie’s dog, Chooch, back in Northeast Philly, is kind of a social media star. He is extremely popular on TikTok and Instagram. So, when Eddie posted videos of his new 4-legged friend, Chooch’s followers were quick to chime in. "They were like, ‘I can’t believe you left. You gotta go back for her.’"

Eddie and Krystal had no idea how to go about saving the sweet girl they named Cici. Eddie explained, "Thanks to Chooch’s following, a lot of people were tagging non-profits in Puerto Rico and a woman named Chelsea, with Souls of Satos, reach out to me, via direct message."

She told the couple if they could find Cici, she’d help get her to Philadelphia.

The next day, after about an hour and a half of searching, they found her. Eddie immediately reached out to the rescue, put her in the car and the rest is history. "She was spayed, vetted and got her shots," he said. "They had a private plane fly dogs from Puerto Rico to Miami and then a different organization drove these dogs up north."

A week and a half after returning home, Eddie and Krystal were picking up Cici in Bristol, Bucks County to begin her new life.

"I wanted to get Chooch a buddy for a long time," Eddie explained. "They always say the dog chooses you. You don’t choose the dog. She made our decision pretty easy. Perfect timing."

The next step is a doggie DNA test for Cici to verify her age, which is believed to be about seven-months and to figure out what kind of pup she is. Maybe a little Dalmation? Maybe a little Great Dane? She’s definitely going to be a big girl.