Survivor of life on the streets becomes service dog for blind dog.
The following story was first published on April 27,2012 by ABC News in an article written by Katie Kindelan. The story of two discarded dogs with no hope of adoption succeeding against all odds is so unusual and moving that I reprint the article in full length here.
“Putting two dogs of different breeds and from different backgrounds together in a confined space will usually end up in a lot of bark and likely some bite. Rarely does that pairing end up in the two pooches becoming an inseparable pair.
That latter, more unlikely scenario was just the case, however, with two young dogs in Oklahoma who not only built a friendship but also cured each other’s ills.
Blair is a 1-year-old black Labrador mix brought to the Woodland West Animal Hospital in Tulsa, Okla., after she was shot while living on the streets. After he recovered from his wounds, Blair remained at the clinic, a timid and nervous pup whose difficult history made her hard to place with an adopted family, the hospital’s director, Dr. Mike Jones, told ABCNews.com.
Then there was Tanner, a two-year-old Golden Retriever puppy who was born blind and with a seizure disorder so severe he was sent to Woodland Hospital as a last resort after his first owner died and the Oklahoma City-based Sooner Golden Retriever Rescue organization that had assumed his care, was unable to find a family to give him the around-the-clock care he needed.
“His seizure disorder was really, really bad and nothing — no medications — seemed to be helping,” Jones said. “Anytime he [Tanner] seizes he expresses his bowels. It’s a nightmare anytime you have a 90-lb dog experiencing this nightly; it made living in a home very, very difficult.”
Tanner and Blair lived with their respective conditions until the two were placed together a few months ago in a chance encounter, first reported by local ABC affiliate KTUL.
“One day they were exercising in a play yard together and they got together, Jones said. “Blair all of a sudden seemed to realize that Tanner was blind and just started to help him around.”
Recognizing the dogs’ immediate connection, hospital staff began to board Tanner and Blair together, and the results spoke for themselves.
Tanner had been seizing almost nightly, Jones said. ”After two or three weeks, we realized Tanner wasn’t seizing anymore. He’s not completely seizure free but it’s not constant anymore.”
“We’ve worked with a lot of different service dogs to provide these services for people,” said Jones. “But it’s the first time I’ve seen anything like this, the special relationship these two dogs have.”
The bond is so strong and instinctive that if Tanner has a leash on, Blair will pick it up and guide her friend around, according to Jones. Likewise, he said, Tanner has had a calming influence on Blair, making the former street dog much less timid and anxious.
The next task is to find the two dogs a home together to continue their joint recovery.
“They absolutely have to be adopted together,” Jones said. “But it’s going to take a special home with someone who understands their special relationship plus understands seizure disorder and is ready to take on the responsibility.”
The adoption search is being handled by the same Sooner Golden Retriever Rescue organization that brought Tanner to the hospital, a lucky decision that brought on the recovery process no one could have predicted. The hospital has, to this point, taken care of Blair’s recovery through its own foster care account.
“The big thing about this is just finding the right home for Tanner and Blair, which is a very specific mission,” said Jones. “This is not a typical adoption. Tanner is only two-years-old. We’re looking at probably ten years or so care for Tanner.”
Calls to the Sooner Rescue organization placed today by ABCNews.com for comment were not returned.”
It is unclear to me at this point whether any progress in placing the two miracle dogs has been made.
PJJ
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