If you're going to introduce a pet into your home, it's always best to adopt from the many shelters available to you. Dogs and cats with no behavioural problems are often given away, largely due to its owner no longer being in a position where they can care for it. Yet even those who find themselves on the city streets can find a loving home if they're lucky, like this dog did.

In 2016, a puppy was picked up on the streets of Detroit, Michigan and brought to the Detroit Dog Rescue Shelter, where he was named Sir Wiggleton. He was waiting to be adopted for around a hundred days before he met Dan Tillery and his girlfriend Megan, from Waterford Township. They took him home, renaming him Diggy, and things seem to be going well... at first.

"[My girlfriend and I] have been wanting a dog forever, but the place we were renting would not allow dogs," Dan told the Oakland Press. "We just recently purchased our first home. All ours. And dogs are allowed."

Dan posted a photo of him and his dog on the shelter's Facebook page and it quickly went viral, earning over 29,000 likes and 7,000 shares. In fact, it was popular enough that it caught the attention of the authorities.

The local police believed that Diggy was a pit bull, a breed that violates their community's 'dangerous dog' ordinance - meaning the police paid a visit to their new home. Dan explained to WWJ:

"When they went to the gate [to] actually see him, he licked their face, was very kind. They said, we’re dog lovers, that’s cool, he seems like a good boy. Took some pictures of him."

However, when he showed them the adoption papers, which stated that Diggy was an American bulldog, the officers didn't believe him. Three days later he was given an ultimatum: to either relocate his dog or pay a $500 fine and face possible jail time. Waterford Police Chief Scott Underwood said that "based on the physical characteristics of the dog, made the determination" that he was part pit bull or pit bull terrier.

“From our standpoint, it’s a pretty clear case of an ordinance that makes it clear what’s permissible and what’s not, and our job is to enforce the ordinance.”

That's when Dan, Megan, and their many supporters decided to strike back. They launched an online petition, which managed to amass over 10,000 signatures. Then, when things went to court, Tillary produced papers from the city, Detroit Dog Rescue, City of Detroit Animal Control and Welfare, as well as the dog's veterinarian - who all agreed that Diggy was an American bulldog.

Finally, in September, a local court threw the case out, allowing Diggy to stay. “Case Closed!” Tillery wrote in a celebratory Facebook post. "We get to keep our boy. He’s a good boy."

Now Diggy can rest easy in his new home, along with his loving family.

If you're going to introduce a pet into your home, it's always best to adopt from the many shelters available to you. Dogs and cats with no behavioural problems are often given away, largely due to its owner no longer being in a position where they can care for it. Yet even those who find themselves on the city streets can find a loving home if they're lucky, like this dog did.

In 2016, a puppy was picked up on the streets of Detroit, Michigan and brought to the Detroit Dog Rescue Shelter, where he was named Sir Wiggleton. He was waiting to be adopted for around a hundred days before he met Dan Tillery and his girlfriend Megan, from Waterford Township. They took him home, renaming him Diggy, and things seem to be going well... at first.

"[My girlfriend and I] have been wanting a dog forever, but the place we were renting would not allow dogs," Dan told the Oakland Press. "We just recently purchased our first home. All ours. And dogs are allowed."

Dan posted a photo of him and his dog on the shelter's Facebook page and it quickly went viral, earning over 29,000 likes and 7,000 shares. In fact, it was popular enough that it caught the attention of the authorities.

The local police believed that Diggy was a pit bull, a breed that violates their community's 'dangerous dog' ordinance - meaning the police paid a visit to their new home. Dan explained to WWJ:

"When they went to the gate [to] actually see him, he licked their face, was very kind. They said, we’re dog lovers, that’s cool, he seems like a good boy. Took some pictures of him."

However, when he showed them the adoption papers, which stated that Diggy was an American bulldog, the officers didn't believe him. Three days later he was given an ultimatum: to either relocate his dog or pay a $500 fine and face possible jail time. Waterford Police Chief Scott Underwood said that "based on the physical characteristics of the dog, made the determination" that he was part pit bull or pit bull terrier.

“From our standpoint, it’s a pretty clear case of an ordinance that makes it clear what’s permissible and what’s not, and our job is to enforce the ordinance.”

That's when Dan, Megan, and their many supporters decided to strike back. They launched an online petition, which managed to amass over 10,000 signatures. Then, when things went to court, Tillary produced papers from the city, Detroit Dog Rescue, City of Detroit Animal Control and Welfare, as well as the dog's veterinarian - who all agreed that Diggy was an American bulldog.

Finally, in September, a local court threw the case out, allowing Diggy to stay. “Case Closed!” Tillery wrote in a celebratory Facebook post. "We get to keep our boy. He’s a good boy."

Now Diggy can rest easy in his new home, along with his loving family.