Jason Hardesty, a 35-year-old UPS driver in New Orleans, has become an internet sensation thanks to his heartwarming pictures with the dogs he meets on his delivery route. Hardesty, who starts his day at a UPS facility, delivers packages along his pre-determined route and takes a break whenever he comes across a furry friend.
He snaps a picture with the pup and posts it on his Instagram with the hashtag #pupsofjay, which has garnered over 130,000 followers.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world was grappling with constant fear and anxiety, Hardesty brought a smile to everyone’s faces with his adorable photos. Speaking to Good Morning America in 2020, he said, “Every time I see a dog, I definitely get more excited than I used to.”
Due to his popularity on social media, Hardesty has become a local celebrity, and he’s often recognized by the dog owners in his neighborhood. He said that the owners are usually cool when he asks to take a photo with their dogs because they’re like, “You are going to make my dog famous!”
Hardesty’s love for dogs has also earned him a loyal following of fans who flock to his Instagram account to see his latest pictures. His followers often express their appreciation for his work in the comments section, with one person saying, “Your smile instantly brings one to my face.
Thank you,” and another commenting, “Thank you for being such a wonderful human being and kind soul to the doggies.”
Hardesty, who does not have a dog of his own, loves playing with the puppies along his route and says that it’s an everyday highlight. “They love the fact that their dog loves me and I love them,” he said. While he limits himself to posting one dog every Friday evening, he revealed that there’s a waiting list of dogs for him to click pictures with.
In an interview with Buzzfeed News, Hardesty shared that he was moved to a new route in a younger neighborhood.
“My old route, which was more families, the dogs did not like you,” he said. “They moved me to a different area of town with more people my age, more single people, and the dogs were a lot friendlier.”
Hardesty, who considers taking random breaks and hanging out with buddies like his friend Mac the golden retriever as the best part of his job, said that as long as his deliveries reach people on time, he’s happy to spread some puppy love and make someone smile for even a second.