Man sees photo of returned dog trying to escape shelter—knows what to do

A man was mourning the loss of his beloved dog when a picture of a rescue pup trying to escape from his enclosure sparked him into action.

Animal pictures, especially those of canines, have a profound effect on the human brain. A 2025 Purdue University study examined how the human brain processes images of cute animals—including dogs—using an electroencephalogram to record the natural electrical activity of the brain.

Researchers found that dog pictures elicit a strong Late Positive Potential (LPP), a brainwave associated with emotional engagement and meaning‑making. Participants viewed pictures of puppies, kittens, and other animals while their neural activity was tracked. The brain showed heightened responses about 300 milliseconds after seeing a canine, reflecting emotional interpretation and reward‑related activation.

For Joe Balinski, from Chicago, Illinois, one dog photo would end up changing the entire course of a shelter pup’s life, he told Newsweek. In March 2023, Balinski had just lost his 14-year-old dog to cancer when he came across a picture of Mindy on the DuPage County Animal Services Facebook page that changed everything.

It showed Mindy, audaciously trying her best to climb over the top of her kennel. It was a remarkable image that immediately hooked Balinski in. “Once I saw her famous picture, I knew she was the one for me, so I filled out adoption papers and waited to see if I would be contacted,” Balinski said.

Mindy tries to “escape” her kennel.

Reading up about Mindy, Balinski quickly discovered she had not been faring so well at the shelter. She had originally been found as a young stray. Since then, she had twice been adopted, only to be returned on both occasions within 24 hours. “I read about her being returned and that Mindy may be put on the humane euthanasia list due to her doing so poorly in that setting,” Balinski said.

That just made him more determined to provide Mindy with the stable home she needed. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but underdogs need love too,” he said. Balinski admits Mindy was “challenging” when he first brought her home. “ The first week was bad. She broke two windows and destroyed my house,” he added.

Despite the destruction, during that time, Balinski saw that, beneath the boisterous behavior, Mindy was a dog seeking affection. “She’s such a loving dog,” he said. “Everyone that is around her loves Mindy. She just makes you want to smile when you see her.”

From left: Mindy stands on a track outside; and with her owner Joe Balinski.

A dog DNA test revealed Mindy to be 50 percent Dogo Argentino, along with a mix of American pit bull terrier, Labrador retriever and Super mutt.

Balinski said he suspects she was bred by someone looking to make money off “knock-off Dogo Argentinos.” Such puppies can fetch sizable sums, with Spirit Dog Training estimating the average price of a puppy to be anywhere between $1,000 and $4,000. Balinski reckons Mindy’s distinctive spots on her ears put paid to that plan, though.

Whatever the truth of Mindy’s abandonment may be, their loss has proven to be Balinski’s gain. She arrived at his home as a skinny, 50-pound, neglected pup in need of help. Though he acknowledges she has been “trying at times” and certainly lives up to her escapologist image, she is now a healthy 80 pounds and very happy.

Balinski took to Reddit to share Mindy’s story in a post submitted under the handle u/Longjumping-Neck-656. If there is one thing he hopes those reading take away from his story, it’s that “dogs like this shouldn’t be forgotten.”