Pit Bull Refuses To Leave Shelter With Man, Shelter Does This
Best Buddy
In search of a dog to adopt, a man visited San Francisco’s Rocket Dog Rescue and fell in love with Merrill, a three-year-old pit bull. But, the shelter experienced an unanticipated problem.
Merrill would not leave her best buddy when it was time for the man to come and take her home.
Unwanted And Abused Dogs
Facebook _ Rocket Dog Rescue
In 2014, Rocket Dog Rescue received a sick pit bull and a senior Chihuahua who were adamant about staying together.
The volunteer-based shelter is dedicated to saving unwanted and abused dogs, and they regularly take in dogs that have a hard time getting adopted. Their ultimate goal is to prevent dogs from being euthanized.
An Amazing Bond
Facebook _ Rocket Dog Rescue
Merrill and Taco, an eight-year-old Chihuahua, were given up and went to Rocket Dog Rescue together. Although little was known about their previous owners, one thing was clear: the pair of dogs were the best of friends.
Every time they were separated, they would cry. All of their time was spent together. Then, one day, the shelter staff got an insight as to just how strong their bond was.
A Life-Threatening UTI
Facebook _ Rocket Dog Rescue
When the pair were brought in, Merrill suffered from a severe uterine tract infection, and she had to undergo surgery to save her life.
During her procedure, Taco began to act extremely anxious and distraught. Nobody knew what was wrong with him. They brought him for tests, too, fearing he had contracted a similar infection. But what was really happening was incredible.
Separation Anxiety
Facebook _ Merrill and Taco
The workers at the shelter soon realized that Taco wasn’t sick at all. He began to act restless and distraught only as Merrill went into the operating room.
When the surgery was over and Merrill was finally released, the workers had an extremely hard time isolating her. There was one big problem.
A Dilemma
Facebook _ Merrill and Taco
Merrill needed to be isolated so that she could heal faster, but from the moment she awoke from the anesthetic, she cried out constantly. It was in reply to Taco, who had been whining throughout her whole operation.
The workers debated over what they should do with them until they finally tried something.
Taco, The Nurse
Facebook _ Rocket Dog Rescue
The staff were amazed by the commitment these two dogs had to each other. Both Merrill and Taco cried until Taco was allowed to be brought into the recovery area with Merrill. Taco was attentive and dedicated to Merrill for the duration of her stay in recovery.
After that, the little Chihuahua didn’t leave his best friend’s side. But the staff members at the shelter were concerned that this might be ultimately detrimental to the two dogs.
Giving Them A Chance
Facebook _ Rocket Dog Rescue
The shelter knew that dogs who come in pairs like this are much more difficult to adopt, as many people aren’t ready to adopt two dogs at the same time.
So they decided to list Merrill and Taco separately on their website and hoped to find separate homes for each of them. Senior dogs are also harder to find homes for, so there was little interest in Taco. Merrill, on the other hand, was a different story.
Merrill Adopted
Facebook _ Rocket Dog Rescue
As soon as a man came into the shelter one day looking to adopt a dog, he saw Merrill and decided she was the one. Workers at the shelter were thrilled she had finally been chosen.
The man completed all the Rocket Dog Rescue paperwork, but when the day finally came for him to pick her up, something went terribly wrong.
