On July 9, 2023, Daniel Larson adopted a German Shepherd mix named Music (formerly Zola) from the Longmont Humane Society in Longmont, Colorado. Daniel’s decision to adopt Music was driven by his desire for “security,” as he frequently referred to the dog as a “guard dog.” However, Music was not trained for such purposes and was simply a regular house pet.
The announcement of Daniel’s adoption of Music quickly sparked outrage within the r/daniellarson subreddit and other online communities. Many users questioned the ethics and legality of allowing a homeless man with a history of mental illness and violent tendencies to adopt a dog. Concerns were raised about Daniel’s ability to provide for the dog’s basic needs, such as food and shelter, and fears grew that Music could become a target during one of Daniel’s notorious meltdowns.
Despite these concerns, Daniel was allowed to leave the shelter with Music, although staff and bystanders at the Longmont Humane Society were uneasy about the situation. Attempts to slow down the adoption process were ultimately unsuccessful. It was later revealed that the shelter did not conduct a thorough background check on Daniel, allowing him to falsely claim he lived in an RV.
The controversy surrounding Daniel’s adoption of Music led to multiple rescue attempts by concerned individuals. Former Daniel Larson YouTuber, Goated Mines, and several members of the r/daniellarson subreddit coordinated efforts to save Music. These rescue attempts culminated on July 11, 2023, when WeenWeenMusic, also known as Ween, successfully rescued Music from Daniel, ending one of the shortest arcs in Daniel Larson history.
The adoption of Music on July 9, 2023, marked Daniel Larson’s second experience as a dog owner. His first dog, Broadway, had to be put down on April 11, 2019, after a battle with cancer. Broadway’s passing deeply affected Daniel, who shared a heartfelt tribute to her on his old Instagram account, indicating a close bond between them. In contrast, his brief and tumultuous time with Music was marked by controversy and concerns over his ability to care for the dog, ultimately leading to Music being rescued from his custody just two days after adoption.
Sources: daniellarson.wiki, YouTube, reddit, archive.today