It may be hard to imagine a life without love, but it's all these beagle brothers have ever known.
Luke, 12, and Yoda, 14, have spent the past six months in an animal shelter and foster home after being found roaming the streets of Grays Harbor County, Washington, in May.
Meg von Haartman, the secretary of the Board of Directors at the Seattle Beagle Rescue, spoke to Newsweek about the adorable duo taken in by a vet who explained there were signs of neglect when he contacted the shelter.
"We don't know much about their previous lives, but they were dumped in a town called Elma," she said. "No one claimed them after several social media post attempts. The bonded brothers have not known love and good care until now. It is believed that Luke and Yoda were likely confined to cages and then left to survive on their own."
Each year, 6.3 million pets are surrendered to U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 in January, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet Shelter Watch Report found.
About 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
Haartman recently told Facebook users about the dog's story in a desperate bid to find them a place to call home. So far, the post has racked up 1,200 likes and more than 770 shares.
"These boys deserve to live their remaining years in a home with soft beds, good food and lots of love," she wrote.
Describing the duo, Haartman said Luke is the "quiet and snuggly brother" and Yoda "clearly does not know he's a senior." She said he has a sense of adventure and can be an escape artist at times. The post has gained a lot of attention online and more than 120 people have commented.
One user said: "I am so sad and sorry boys. Hoping for a loving place for the rest of your journey."
Another advised: "Adopt together. Would be painful to separate them."
The shelter spent more than $4,500 on medical bills for the pair as they required vaccines, neutering, dentals, microchips and treatment for ear infections.
"Yoda had extensive work to fix his jaw as it was not fully attached," Haartman said. "After his first surgery, the jaw separated, needing even more surgery. The vet mentioned that the jaw damage was part bad teeth, and part prolonged chewing on cage bars."
Fortunately, the dogs are feeling better than ever and hope to meet their new owner before Christmas.
"Yoda has come a long way in foster from nightmares and not trusting people to now coming when called," Haartman said. "They are very much characters. They love to sleep in the sun or on a comfy bed [and] like to wander the yard and explore. They would love a big yard to run around."
She said they would be happy to live with other dogs as long as they aren't bigger.
"Because they are hunters by nature, they are distracted while walking when they see wildlife or larger dogs," she said. "Luke is affectionate and likes to cuddle and give kisses. He likes to be around his people.
"Yoda is silly and likes to run around. He needs a strong fence as he has a strong prey drive, so it wouldn't be possible for him to live with cats."
According to the American Kennel Club, beagles life expectancy is 10 to 15 years, so these dogs may not have long to live, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve to be happy. Senior dogs are often overlooked in shelters as people mostly want puppies.
"There are benefits to an older dog such as their calmer demeaner, established personalities, and fulfillment of providing a loving home in their golden years," Haartman said.
Some people may opt against an older dog for their own emotional well-being as they do not want to get attached knowing their calm companion may not be in their lives very long. But that doesn't apply to everyone. Recently, an 11-year-old dog was adopted after 700 days in a shelter.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiTWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5ld3N3ZWVrLmNvbS9zZW5pb3ItYmVhZ2xlcy1uZXZlci1rbm93bi1sb3ZlLWZvcmV2ZXItaG9tZS0xODM2MDkz0gEA?oc=5
2023-10-19 14:20:01Z
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Senior Rescue Beagles in Shelter Who Have 'Never Known Love' Break Hearts - Newsweek"
Post a Comment