Adoptive mother gets emotional while watching Blind & Deaf Puppy navigate the world

Animal rescue is about realizing that every animal deserves a chance: a chance at life and a chance at happiness. Sometimes that means putting in a little extra effort for dogs with special needs because they deserve adoption, too.

Mary Jo DiLonardo fosters puppies through Speak! Rescue and Sanctuary, an Australian Shepherd and Border Collie rescue based in St. Louis. In May 2022, she wrote about her experience with a blind and deaf puppy that reminded her of the value of giving a chance to a dog with special needs.

Blind, Deaf, And Worthy of a Little Patience

The Calla Lily, an Australian Shepherd, is being sold for free on Facebook along with the rest of the litter. Luckily, she was taken care of by Speak!.

Lily “lost the genetic lottery” and was born a couple. That means both her parents carry the merle gene, and when two dogs carrying the gene are bred, their offspring have a 25% chance of being affected. born with hearing and vision abnormalities like she used to be. Allowing two merle carriers to mate with each other is considered irresponsible crossbreeding.

But despite that, little Calla Lily has entered this world, and she will need a patient, experienced rescuer to help her navigate it without sight or hearing. That’s when DiLonardo went up for adoption.

“I have fostered nearly two dozen special needs dogs. Most are blind or deaf, but Lily is my Friday now blind and deaf puppy,“She wrote in her essay.

Lily thrives in foster care

Calla Lily goes to DiLonardo’s house along with one of her seeing/hearing siblings. DiLonardo wrote:

“Lily’s sister, Ivy, can see and hear and the two struggle like crazy in the house and out in the yard. Ivy pounced on her unsuspecting brother, but Lily ate it all up. She is fierce but loves life, is playful and extremely happy. “

Under DiLonardo’s care and with her foster sister and brother by her side, Lily confidently explored her new home and played in the yard.

Training her isn’t easy, but Lily quickly shows how eager she is to keep up with the other dogs at her foster home. Lily quickly learned to adapt to her hearing and vision impairments.

“It can be frustrating. We work on touch commands to learn how to sit, how to stay, and good work to potty where you have to sit. There were a few bumps when they first mapped the yard and room, figuring out when to stop right near the house or fence or deck stairs. But it didn’t take long for Lily to figure out how to run out into the pine straw and do her business, then run a few merry laps before carefully finding the back door and getting ready for the water bowl on the other side. room. “

Puppy Aussie also shows how grateful she is to her adoptive mother for allowing her to grow and learn things in her own time.

“She will hug you (when she is tired) and love to be held, either perched high in my arms and tucked under my chin or sprawled on my forearm like some bouncy kitten,” DiLonardo write.

Much of what DiLonardo observed during Calla Lily’s upbringing was How much fun can a puppy find in each day even though she cannot see or hear.

“I admit I love watching her sleep. She lay in a complete calm and profound relaxation. Then she wakes up, ready to settle the world (or at least her and her sister’s toys) with abandonment. “

A bittersweet goodbye and a happy hello

The hard part about fostering is passing your foster dog over to their new adopters. It is bittersweet to watch your hard work and dedication bring happiness forever to a deserving dog.

After what she witnessed as a foster parent, DiLonardo feels hopeful that Calla Lilly is ready for her future family. Not sure if anyone was willing to take care of her specific needs.

“Although pups with no special needs are sometimes adopted quickly, I knew we would need someone special for this special girl. A lot of people just see cute fluff or smiling photos. But the perfect person must be patient and loving, intelligent and resourceful,” she wrote.

On June 13, 2022, DiLonardo’s hopes came true. Lily was adopted into a loving family that was fully prepared to help her thrive despite her disability. A caption on DiLonardo’s Instagram notes:

“Her new parents have two gorgeous Australians and are delighted to add another to the family. It takes people with such kind hearts to open their homes to people with special needs. Now appropriately named Joy, this puppy will have the best life! “

Fostering saves lives, and Joy is just one example that it’s worth the effort. Follow sweet Joy and her wonderful new life on Instagram.

Featured pictures: Instagram