BOY, 9, ADOPTED PIT BULL WHO SPENT 95 DAYS IN A SHELTER
A Texas boy who wanted a dog since age three adopted a pit bull mix who waited 95 days for a home.
Cairo Hall, 9, and his mother, Marvy Hall, visited PAWS Shelter of Central Texas in Kyle in June 2025, Forbes reported. They left with Waylon.
The family didn’t plan to adopt that day. They were “just looking,” Marvy Hall said.
Waylon had been rescued from an overcrowded facility where he faced the risk of euthanasia. At PAWS he became a staff favorite and often spent time as an “office dog” behind the front desk.
PAWS adoption counselor Katheryn White said his size worked against him. “Sadly, big dogs tend to wait longer for homes,” she said.
She said large dogs can wait because of weight and breed restrictions in apartment rentals, or because people find them intimidating. She described Waylon differently. “Waylon is the biggest gentle giant,” White said.
How Cairo won over the shelter
Cairo and Waylon headed to an off-leash area to bond. Cairo asked Waylon to sit and rewarded him with treats.
Back inside, Cairo quizzed staff like a seasoned pet owner. He asked about Waylon’s diet, his fears, heartworm prevention, positive training techniques and microchip registration.
White said the staff were greatly impressed by his questions.
“It was a special moment,” Cairo said of the visit.
Life after the shelter
Once Waylon was home, the pair settled into tug-of-war, training sessions and plenty of cuddling. “Now, they are inseparable,” White said.
Cairo also started an Instagram account, @waylonandcai, to document their adventures. Planned outings included a minor league game and a summer beach trip.
He hoped his story would push others to consider adopting shelter dogs.
Cairo had big plans of his own. He said he aspired to become an actor or a famous hockey player, and had also dreamed of engineering and chess.
My Modern Met reported that Cairo later used his social media channels to share information about dog behavior, collars and heartworm prevention.
PAWS now lists “Waylon and Cai” among its adoption success stories, alongside The Dodo and We Rate Dogs.
A Doges Blog follow-up on October 8, 2026 described Cairo as ten years old and said photos of him with Waylon went viral in late June 2026.
