In 2010, Chris Mendiola rescued a dog named Bear.
Chris told BuzzFeed that Bear had a hard time finding a forever home, and that he'd "bounced from home to home" before finally finding Chris and his family.
Chris fell in love with Bear, and his family brought him into their home permanently.
It seems pretty likely that poor Bear had been through a lot before finding his way to the Mendiolas, so when Chris noticed that his beloved pet had a tattoo on his underbelly, it really upset him.
Chris made the decision to support Bear by getting the same tattoo on his arm, symbolizing their bond.
But then, people started telling Chris what Bear's tattoo really meant: that the dog had been neutered.
Keep scrolling to learn how Chris reacted to that news, and to see the matching tattoos.
[H/T: BuzzFeed]
Thumbnail Photos: Imgur / whooplie // Facebook / Chris Mendiola
In 2010, Chris Mendiola, now 26, and his family adopted a sweet rescue dog named Bear.
Chris told BuzzFeed that Bear "bounced from home to home before he came to my family."
Soon after they rescued Bear, Chris noticed something that really upset him: the dog had a tattoo on his underbelly.
Chris said the tattoo sickened him, so he decided to show some support for Bear — by getting the same tattoo himself.
But when Chris posted the news on Facebook, people started to respond with more information. Bear's tattoo wasn't a piece of cruel branding, it was a sign that he had been neutered.
These tattoos are pretty common on rescue pets, though lots of dogs just get a thin green line tattooed on their belly instead of a symbol like Bear's. According to the Anti-Cruelty Society, the tattoo is "meant as an indicator of the sterilization status of these animals, thus preventing unnecessary surgery later in life."
Chris told BuzzFeed that he actually knew what the tattoo meant, though. He had spoken to Bear's vet about it when he first spotted it.
Chris says he has no regrets about the tattoo, and sees it as a symbol of his love for Bear, his best friend.
Chris told BuzzFeed: "I get to carry my dog with me everywhere I go. I can just look down and know I have a part of him with me at all times."
What do you think of Chris' tattoo? Is it sweet, or a little silly?
Please SHARE this story on Facebook!
