Sisu was a one-year-old stray in Kenansville, North Carolina, who became famous in March 2021 for one very particular habit. He kept walking into a Dollar General store and walking out with the same purple stuffed unicorn. After he had done it several times, staff called animal control. The officer who came out did not just pick him up. They paid for the unicorn and took it to the shelter with him. Within days Sisu had been adopted, and the toy went too.
It is a small story, but it stuck with people for good reasons. It has a dog with a clear, stubborn wish, a public servant who chose kindness over procedure, and a happy ending that came quickly. Below is what is known about Sisu, what happened after the photos went viral, and what his story says about stray dogs and the shelters that care for them.
What happened at the Dollar General
Kenansville is the county seat of Duplin County, a rural part of eastern North Carolina known for hog and poultry farming and for Duplin Winery. According to Duplin County Animal Services, a large male stray kept coming into the local Dollar General. Each time, he went straight for one item: a plush purple unicorn.
The shelter's supervisor, Joe Newburn, later told the animal news site The Dodo that the store reported the dog had done this five times. In the end staff locked the door so he could not get back in, and the county's communications centre sent out an officer.
The shelter shared the story in a Facebook post on 22 March 2021. It was written with tongue firmly in cheek, listing Sisu's "crimes" as breaking and entering and larceny, before revealing that the arresting officer had simply bought the stolen goods for the suspect. That gentle humour, plus photos of a big dog cuddling a purple toy, is a large part of why the post spread so widely.
Why the officer bought the toy
Once the officer saw how determined Sisu was, buying the unicorn seemed the obvious answer. It cost little, it calmed a stressed animal, and it gave him something familiar to hold on to in an unfamiliar kennel. Shelter staff said this was typical of the officer, who regularly did small things like this for the animals in their care.
Raleigh photographer Shannon Johnstone, who documents shelter animals, read about Sisu in a local paper and went to photograph him. She told reporters the officer had been off duty that day but came in anyway. Accounts differ on small details, such as whether the officer was a man or a woman, so those points are best treated as unconfirmed.
Dollar General also responded well. Rather than treat the episode as theft, the company donated pet food to the Duplin County shelter, which the shelter thanked publicly.
Sisu's adoption and training
On 26 March 2021, just four days after the first post, the shelter announced that Sisu had been adopted. The shelter described him as "very obedient with people". He already knew how to sit, lie down and heel, and staff said he was playful and quick to learn.
Newburn described the unicorn as Sisu's constant companion. Speaking to The Dodo, he said: "He's always with that thing." The only time Sisu lost interest was when the toy got dirty; after a wash it was back to being his favourite thing.
His new home did not start immediately. Sisu first spent a few weeks with Lab Rescue LRCP, a Labrador retriever rescue group, for training to help him behave better around other dogs. That detail matters. Many good-natured dogs are not instantly ready for every household, and a short period of structured training can make the difference between an adoption that lasts and one that fails.
Why some dogs fixate on one toy
Calling Sisu a thief is a joke, of course. Dogs do not understand shops or prices. But the strong attachment he showed to one object is something many owners will recognise.
Plenty of dogs pick one favourite toy and carry it everywhere. Soft toys appeal to retrievers and other breeds bred to hold things gently in their mouths. A familiar texture and smell can be comforting, especially for a dog living rough with little else that belongs to it. Some dogs treat a plush toy almost like a companion, carrying it to bed or guarding it from other dogs.
Why this particular unicorn caught Sisu's eye is anyone's guess. It may have been the soft fabric, the size, or simply the first toy he found within reach. What is clear is that he kept coming back for it, and that having it with him seemed to settle him once he was in the shelter.
If your own dog becomes very attached to one toy, it is usually harmless. Check it regularly for loose eyes, stitching or stuffing that could be swallowed, and replace it when it is badly torn. Keeping a spare of the same toy can save a lot of distress later.
Strays, shelters and the bigger picture
Sisu's story ended well quickly, but most shelter dogs wait much longer. According to ASPCA figures based on Shelter Animals Count data, about 5.8 million dogs and cats entered US shelters and rescues in 2025, roughly 2.8 million of them dogs. Strays made up about 59% of all intake, and owner surrenders about 30%.
There is real progress in those numbers. About 4.2 million dogs and cats were adopted in 2025, and the overall euthanasia rate fell from 10% in 2019 to 8%. Still, around 320,000 dogs were euthanised that year, which is why rural county shelters like Duplin County's depend so heavily on publicity, transfers to rescue groups and local adopters.
Viral posts like Sisu's do more than make people smile. They put a small, often overstretched shelter in front of thousands of potential adopters, donors and volunteers. Many shelters now share playful stories about their animals for exactly that reason.
Thinking of adopting a dog like Sisu?
If Sisu's story has you looking at shelter listings, a few practical points can help:
- Ask about behaviour with other dogs, cats and children. Staff often know far more than a listing says.
- Be open to training. Sisu's few weeks with a rescue group show that a good dog may still need help with one specific habit.
- Bring something familiar. A toy or blanket from the shelter can ease the move, just as the unicorn did for Sisu.
- Give it time. Many adopted dogs need weeks to relax in a new home. Talk to a vet early about health checks, vaccinations and any concerns.
- Check local shelters first. Rural county shelters often have fewer visitors and many dogs waiting.
Sisu went from a stray with one stubborn wish to a dog with a home, some training and his unicorn. Not every shelter story moves that fast, but each adoption frees a kennel for the next animal that needs one.
Sources: FOX 32 Chicago, 1 April 2021: Dog who repeatedly stole stuffed unicorn from dollar store gets adopted; ASPCA: U.S. animal shelter statistics; Wikipedia: Duplin County, North Carolina. Story first shared by Duplin County Animal Services on Facebook; quotes from Joe Newburn as told to The Dodo.
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