These diplomatic dogs were heartlessly separated after being adopted, but their story isn’t over yet.
Update:
A month has passed since the bonded pair, pit bull Dozer and blind Dachshund OJ, were reunited at Richmond Animal Care Center (RACC) after a difficult ordeal. They were almost separated, but their friends at the shelter didn’t let that happen. Now, after weeks of not knowing their future, the two dogs have finally moved on.
After an incident that tore two canine friends apart and left OJ callously abandoned by the side of the road, the staff at RACC knew Dozer and OJ deserved a happy ending more than ever. The first adoption didn’t work out, but no one wanted to see Dozer and OJ spend their lives in a shelter. Adoption officers at RACC start from the first box, but this time, they’re extremely wary of who they deem a good match for both Dozer and OJ.
The RACC announced on Facebook that after giving the dogs time to decompress, they will once again review applications for potential adopters. The story of Dozer and OJ made national coverage, and there was no shortage of people willing to give them a good home. The thing is, while Dozer loves his best friend OJ, he’s not a fan of other dogs. The duo needed a family with no other pets and were willing to take the pit bull and the premium Dachshund as an inseparable package deal.
The shelter’s adoption coordinator took time and a lot of work, but in the end, a job application looked perfect. The future family met the dogs, and on June 1 they finally went home. Dozer and OJ have finally found a family that loves them for all their quirks. The road is not easy for the bonded couple, but they are ultimately on their way to a better life.
Original story:
Life hasn’t been easy for a pair of bonded dogs who surrendered to Richmond Animal Care Center (RACC) last week, but at least they’re together.
At the age of 12, a Dachshund named OJ became blind, and he relied on his best friend, a six-year-old child. Pit Bull named Blue Dozer, are his eyes. They live together with a loving owner, but unexpected circumstances turn their world upside down. After becoming homeless, their owners could no longer care for the two dogs. The bonded duo surrendered to the RACC—a city shelter known for going above and beyond for animals.
Aware of the dogs’ dependence on each other, the staff at RACC were determined to keep OJ and Dozer together forever. They posted on Facebook speak,
“We can’t stand the cuteness and kindness of these two. Is anyone ready to fall in love with a perfectly bonded pair? “
They wouldn’t have accepted one without the other, and the story of two incredibly different but completely adorable dogs quickly went viral. Thousands of people read their stories and it didn’t take long for someone at the shelter to enjoy meeting the famous couple. RACC is pleased to announce that both OJ and Blue Dozer have returned to the same house, but they did not have the happy ending that everyone expected.
On Tuesday, OJ showed up nearly 100 miles away at Shenandoah Valley Animal Services. The man who found him said the blind dog was wandering alone on a rural roadside. He assumed he was a stray, but a microchip connected the dog to both the RACC and the woman who recently adopted him.
When the shelter contacted OJ’s new owners, she told them that someone was supposed to be monitoring OJ for her. They offered to return the dog to her, but she refused. She says the shelter can keep OJ, but Dozer is still in her care.
Separated, scared, and in a strange new environment, OJ and Dozer are once again in dire straits. But they are not alone. The teams at both the Shenandoah Valley shelter and at the RACC are determined to find a solution. Arrangements have been made to transport the OJ back to the RACC, and shelter representatives have begged the adopters to hope for the dogs’ reunion.
Despite their efforts, the original adopters refused to give up Dozer. She insists she did nothing wrong, and she wanted to keep Pit Bull but has decided she doesn’t want Senior Dachshund to go blind anymore. Worried about Dozer’s difficulty and worried about OJ’s health, animal advocates from all over did not give up.
In the end, constant pleas about how traumatic a breakup would be for both dogs convinced the woman to eventually give in. RACC announced on their Facebook page that Dozer has been voluntarily returned to the shelter. After transporting OJ back to the RACC and welcoming Dozer back through the doors, the best friends were successfully reunited. They are now in a cuddled home and are grateful to be together again.
The ordeal Dozer and OJ have to go through to stay together is unfortunately a common occurrence in shelters across the country. Organizations like the RACC adopt thousands of dogs each year, and sometimes, adopters lie about their intentions and act unpredictable. It was impossible for the RACC staff to predict the temporary separation of Dozer and OJ, but they were determined to do what was best for the latter dogs.
The bonded dogs are safe at the shelter. RACC was happy to announce their reunion on Facebook, but they were in no hurry to apply more. They write,
“We cannot account for the decisions made by citizens after adoption and work diligently to keep our open adoption process a success. Ultimately, we have to trust people – trust them to love the pets we care for and trust them to do what’s best. Ultimately, we won’t be doing anything with OJ and Dozer for the next few days other than pulling them together. I will notify you if and when they are available for adoption. “
OJ and Dozer didn’t get the happy ending they expected, but they didn’t give up hope. Their story is not over yet and the care professionals at RACC will do whatever it takes to ensure a happy, healthy future for these two dogs that mean a lot to each other.
Featured images via Richmond Animal Care and Control
