No dog in this world is born to fight alone on the street, but to find his favorite person with whom he will go through life.
This is especially true for dogs with special needs who need even more support to overcome all difficulties.
Unfortunately, not all owners have such a wide heart to understand what this truly means.
One tiny blind dog, whose callous parents could not see his true value, felt this firsthand.
They just left him in the lurch without even saying “goodbye”…
His Parents Let Him Down
Source: The Pet Collective Cares
One day, animal control found a dog, a Chihuahua-Papillon mix, wandering the streets of Los Angeles, California. The officers reacted quickly and immediately brought him to the city shelter.
There, they realized that the dog was blind. The rescuers suspected that he was lost and started searching for his owners. And, they were truly relieved because they were able to find his parents in no time.
The volunteers learned that the dog’s name was Jake, and that he had been missing for some time.
Although they thought that this story would quickly have its happy ending, they soon realized that they were very wrong.
Jake’s parents allegedly did want to bring their dog back home, but they refused to pay the $20 retrieval charge for him.
They just said that “he is not worth it” and left. The employees of the shelter were in shock, and the worst was for poor Jake, who just curled up in his little crib with a sad expression on his face that showed all his heartache.
Source: The Pet Collective Cares
When the people at the shelter saw this sad scene, their hearts wept and they firmly decided that they would not give up little Jake.
Good People Stepped In
Source: The Pet Collective Cares
A few days after Jake’s rescue, one of the animal officers called her good friend, Tera McCurry. Tera was a director of Doggie Protective Services, a nonprofit organization that rescues dogs and cats, located in California.
“She said that they have the cutest little dog, and he is around 1 year old, and he is very friendly,” Tera said for The Pet Collective Cares.
But, when Tera asked her what was “broken” on him, the officer hesitated to answer. Tera knew right away that it was something serious, and she, herself, hinted in the conversation that he might be blind.
Since she knew how difficult it is for blind dogs in general, and especially for those in shelters to find a home, she couldn’t turn her down in the end.
“Blind dog in the shelter, in Southern California, is not adoptable at all,” Tera said. “I think the only hope of the blind dog getting out of the shelter, most of the time, in Southern California, is through a rescue.”
That’s why she decided to become his foster mom and help this poor, blind pup find a brighter future.
And, know what? Their relationship was pure success. Tera said that Jake became the family’s favorite pet and that, after some time, they even forgot that he was actually blind.
Source: Doggie Protective Services (DPS Rescue)
He was very playful, loved spending time with other dogs, and adored snuggling. He was just like every other ordinary dog.
“If people could just see past his disability, they would have just seen the amazing dog he was, and, luckily, he would find that home,” Tera concluded.
For Them, Jake Worthed So Much More
Source: Heidi Beecher Schlagel
Tera seemed to have summoned fate with this last sentence. One fine day, together with the employees of Doggie Protective Services, she organized an adoption day where little Jake was also present.
That day, a woman named Heidi was passing by when she noticed a small, cute puppy that immediately stole her heart. It was Jake. Although she instantly fell in love with him, Heidi did not decide to adopt him that same day, especially when she heard that he was blind.
“I taught to myself I dont need another dog, so I left,” Heidi said for The Pet Collective Cares. “But, I came back the next week.”
Heidi kept returning to that place for the next three weeks until she finally decided that Jake would become the new member of her family. It was a miracle.
Despite his blindness, Jake quickly fit in with his new family, and his new canine brothers and sisters welcomed him with open arms without any prejudice. His big brother, River, with whom he became inseparable, was especially welcoming.
Source: Doggie Protective Services (DPS Rescue)
“It’s funny, he runs on the beach just like my other dogs do, he attacks his brothers just like any other dog would, he has developed the ability to know in my yard where he can run, he plays like they do, he’s like any other dog…” Heidi proudly concluded.
However, what matters most is the fact that to Jake’s new family, he wasn’t just worth $20, but much, much more.
Jake was worth the world to them.