LYNCHBURG, Va. – We couldn’t make this story up if we tried.
Last week, station WSLS introduced you to a cat named Dennis Quaid at the Lynchburg Humane Society in need of a forever home, as part of our Clear the Shelters initiative.
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This weekend, he will make his journey to that home, but you may not believe who’s adopting him.
“It was really off the wall, but I just couldn’t resist. I had to,” said Houston-born actor Dennis Quaid.
Quaid couldn’t pass up adopting the little guy with his name from the Lynchburg Humane Society.
“I’m out to save all the Dennis Quaids of the world,” said Quaid.
The name certainly sparked a lot of buzz after WSLS 10 News featured Dennis Quaid during a WSLS newscast last week.
That story caught the attention of the Hollywood actor, musician and now, podcaster.
“We also have the pet show that Jimmy (Jellinek) here is doing and I’m executive producing on it, and really it’s turned out to be one of my favorites,” said Quaid.
A shelter cat with his name, plus a pet podcast, equals the perfect adoption story.
A tale so good, shelter staff didn’t believe it at first.
“I was like there is no way this is real, like, someone is pranking us,” said Danielle Ulmer, Lynchburg Humane Society, Adoption Center Manager.
“We reached out to the shelter. It took us a while for them to actually believe us,” said Jimmy Jellinek, co-host of The Pet Show.
Once Jellinek convinced the shelter staff that he and Quaid weren’t internet trolls or crazy people, they got to meet Dennis Quaid, the cat, via Zoom.
Lynchburg Humane Socitey's Danielle Ulmer holding Dennis Quaid, while introducing him to his new owner, Dennis Quaid. (WSLS 10)
This weekend Jellinek will fly from Los Angeles to Lynchburg to pick up the new office pet.
“Maybe they should start naming animals in shelters after different celebrities and see who bites,” Quaid said.
“We’ve already talked about that. We’re like alright, so everyone pick your top three favorite celebrities,” Ulmer said.
Watch Lindsey’s full interview with Dennis Quaid on WSLS’ report.