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"It's tough seeing others live out your dream."
When MLB posted a 15-second video clip of a dog watching another dog eat a hot dog at a Miami Marlins game in Florida, no one could predict the outcome:
- Racking up 26 million views on X since its June 22, 2026, posting
- Replays and play-by-plays of the "sad dog who didn't get a hot dog" by morning shows and the news media
- A quest from the Miami Marlins to find that sad dog − and even better, treat him to the best dog day ever
The Twitterverse complied. The Miami Marlins social media team identified the "dog hot dog" viral pooch on June 26, 2026, days after their project to track him down.
Turns out, the "sad dog" is Jonah, a 6-year-old local rescue. And his viral moment in the spotlight as a disappointed dog who patiently watched another pup eat a hot dog will not go in vain:
- Jonah (and his humans) received a care package from the Miami Marlins.
- Jonah will be treated to a "dream day" at the Marlins' game at Loan Depot Park in Florida on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
- The dog's "sad face" expression spurred the Marlins baseball team to donate a portion of ticket proceeds to help South Florida rescue dogs.
Who is the dog that didn't get a hot dog? Watch the viral video at MLB Marlins game
The dog's owner, Peter Silveira, responding to the callout on X, shared that the dog's name is Jonah, and that his hobbies include chasing squirrels and eating ice cream.
"There's a dog in front of us at the game eating a hot dog, and Jonah is just staring atthat dog intently like, give me your hot dog. I couldn't stop laughing was my first reaction," Silveira of Sunrise, Florida, said in a video for The National days after the June 22 viral clip.
"He's just the best dog, and it's always the same face," Silveira said. "He has the same face in all of his photos."
What kind of dog is Jonah, the viral 'sad dog'?
Jonah is a cunucu, a dog breed commonly found on Aruba. He is a rescue that was born on the island, and was later adopted by the Silveira family thanks to New Life for Paws, an initiative that intends to "rescue as many stray, neglected, and abandoned Aruban dogs as possible while also advocating for spay/neuter programs to reduce the overwhelming amount of street dogs on the island," according to its website.
"Everybody's mad at me for not giving him a hot dog at the game, but I gave him one yesterday so don't let the face fool you," Silveira said in his video interview with CBC News. In addition, CBC News states, "Peter wants it to be made very clear before that very sad picture (of Jonah) was taken, that dog had stolen their 3-year-old's pretzel and eaten it, so he wasn't hungry."
What's next for Jonah, the disappointed dog? How to buy tickets to July 12 Miami Marlins game
A portion of proceeds from tickets bought via the June 26, 2026, link from the Miami Marlins social media team will be "donated to help local rescue dogs like Jonah."
Unlike the Bark at the Park event where social media users first learned of Jonah, dogs will not be permitted at the July 12, 2026, event.
All work with New Life for Paws, which helped Jonah find a "furever" home, is conducted on a "volunteer basis."
Tickets for Jonah's Dream Day and to support local animal rescues can be purchased at Marlins.com/Jonah.
Contributing: Hana Khalyleh, USA TODAY Network
Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Viral 'sad dog' at Miami Marlins game found. What's next for rescue pup Jonah
