Losing a dog due to unknown circumstances is a traumatic experience, especially for kids. The amount of pain a child must go through while still looking for his loving furball is unimaginable. And yet, somehow – this phenomenon is quite common all over the world!
According to 2023 statistics, more than 10 million dogs get lost every year, which, shockingly, is quite a big number!
The same happened to a family from San Antonio, Texas, a couple of years ago, when they lost their family doggo – Max. He got lost on the streets and his family thought they would never see him again until one day, the phone rang!
Max Wandered The Streets Of San Antonio For Two Whole Months
Max’s family lost this tiny furball on the streets of San Antonio, but unlike many family doggos that wander away from their hoomans – he didn’t make it back!
His people were really worried about him since he was a tiny dog and he definitely couldn’t take care of himself on the street, so they did everything in their power to find him. They even spread fliers around the neighborhood and alerted the police department.
Max was described as a super friendly, mixed-breed dog who was very calm and sweet.
Still, throughout two months of extensive searching – they had no success.
Deputy Perez Saves The Day
Max’s family lost all hope of finding their loving doggo since there was no sign of him after two months. They made peace with Max being gone for good, and the kids who were inconsolable at the time almost stopped thinking about their little buddy.
But then – one phone call changed everything!
Deputy Perez, of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, received a call about a tiny little dog wandering the neighboring streets, and he looked exactly like Max!
Perez immediately responded and remembered this canine from a flier that had been up at the BCSO substation for two whole months. It was definitely Max!
“As you can see on the children’s faces, they could not be happier! Thank you to Deputy Perez for facilitating this reunion,” wrote the BCSO on their official Facebook page.
The Warmest Reunion Of All
Perez rushed to give Max’s family the good news, and as soon as they heard that their long-lost doggo is safe – they cried out in happiness!
They rushed over to pick up their beloved friend at the station, and as soon as they met – Max wagged his tail and leaped into their arms!
One of the girls couldn’t hide her emotions and she cried very much when she finally picked Max up in her arms. It was a heartwarming reunion filled with joy, tears, happiness, and lots of hugs and kisses – all thanks to deputy Perez.
Max was finally where he always belonged – in his Texas home, far away from the unknown where he was left at the mercy of the streets.
It was quite a traumatic experience for this little boi, but we’re sure that with the love of his hoomans – he had no trouble getting back to his old self!
Some puppies just never lose… HOPE!
At her lowest point in life, the little pup girl with the most beautiful name ever – Hope – never stopped believing that someone would find her! She was locked in a small crate and abandoned near an apartment complex, waiting for someone to become her hero.
Severely malnourished, skinny, and dehydrated, Hope waited for quite some time, fending for herself without anyone’s help until one day – her hopes were answered!
Waiting For Someone To Be Her Hero
A giant-hearted passenger spotted Hope in really bad condition, and he immediately contacted Kreitzer’s Critter Corral Puppy Rescue, from Kannapolis, North Carolina.
After she was initially taken care of, the KCCPR team subjected her to a vet exam and provided her with basic necessities.
She was clearly traumatized, but the good people of the KCCPR team knew what to do! They gave her plenty of space to settle into the new environment, and a little plush toy just to make her stay a little more comfy.
A Lot Of Speed Bumps Along The Way
Alongside her malnourishment, she had sores formed all over her paws and she wasn’t quite able to stand or walk like a normal puppy.
“Hope was kept for extended periods of time in a very small cage (too small for her to fully stand in)…The combination of the pressure from laying/sitting in the same position for extended periods of time and direct exposure to urine/feces likely caused these sores to form,” KCCPR said.
Hope had a long way to go until she was fully recovered, but she already felt so much more comfortable in her new environment.
Bill and Liz Kreitzerand, of KCCPR, decided to foster this pawdorable girl, so she would socialize and adapt to family life a little faster – and she just loved it!
“Hope is getting more comfortable in her surroundings, but it will also take some time for her to feel safe and truly let her guard down. She has been through a lot of trauma and will need time to heal (emotionally and physically),” KCCPR wrote on their Facebook.
Aside from her regular meds and bandages, Hope got her own paw protectors, too!
Unbelievable Transformation
It didn’t take long for this girl to start embracing her new foster family as her own! After only a few weeks of treatments, Hope was back on her paws, eager to play and cuddle!
She finally realized that the days of being abused and hunched in a locked crate are behind her – and she then only had one mission to fulfill – to be as happy of a doggo as possible!
The Adoption Day Has Come
After two months of being around her caregivers in North Carolina – a family knocked on the KCCPR doors inquiring about Hope. They were super-excited to finally meet this adorable girl that needed a home, and they sure were ready to provide it!
Even though she was already used to Bill and Liz, Hope was equally enthusiastic about meeting her new family, especially her little hooman sister!
She loved them very much right off the bat, and she couldn’t wait to finally embark on a beautiful journey with them!
This is what Hope’s mom wrote to the KCCPR team only a few months after they adopted Hope:
“She is doing super great!! We love her dearly. She’s gaining confidence daily. She is super spoiled and the best cuddle buddy! I take her everywhere and she does so well. I’m so thankful for her. We couldn’t imagine life without her.”
We hope this brown and white doggo girl and her family live a long, happy life together!
Losing a loved one represents one of the most heartbreaking moments of our life. As we try to overcome the grief, we turn to our friends, family, and our four-legged companions.
Just like people, dogs also need a lot of love and support when they go through a grieving process.
Spencer was sorrowful when his furry brother crossed the rainbow bridge. His family was with him the whole time. But, before this, let’s see how the story begins.
Saying Goodbye
Spencer and Rocky had been best friends for 10 years. They were inseparable. The two best friends relished every moment of the time they spent together.
“Rocky and Spencer slept in the same bed, ate from the same bowl and always walked together when they went out,” said Beth Fisher, their mom.
Unfortunately, their joyous time together came to an end. Rocky was feeling sick and Beth took him to the vet. Sadly, the sweet pooch was diagnosed with cancer. It was detected too late and the vets couldn’t do anything to help him.
The tragic news shocked Beth. She was told that her beloved dog was in pain, and she had to make the heartbreaking decision to put him to sleep.
She said goodbye to him that day as he went to doggy heaven where there is no pain.
It was difficult to come to terms with his sudden passing. Beth was aware that for Spencer, it would be much harder to process Rocky’s absence.
He had a hard time getting on with his life without his little brother. He was unable to sleep. He spent his nights wandering around the house, trying to find his best friend.
Acceptance
He started crying when he realized he couldn’t find him. Beth placed Rocky’s ashes near the place where he used to sleep with Spencer. She hoped it would help him deal with his brother’s passing.
The whole family was thinking about the best way to console Spencer. Beth’s dad ordered him a pillow with his brother’s smiling picture on it.
Looking at Rocky’s beloved grinning face made Spencer feel better. From the moment he got the precious gift, he carried it everywhere with him.
“Spencer has been cuddling into the pillow since it arrived, carrying it around from sofa to his own bed,” said Beth.
He doesn’t sleep alone anymore. He gently rests his face on the pillow, remembering his best friend.
Spencer finds comfort in looking at his brother’s picture. He feels his spirit close to him. Due to his age, Spencer sleeps more than usual. He likes to take naps on his favorite pillow.
Rocky’s passing was the most heartbreaking event in Spencer’s life, but he wasn’t alone in his grief. He had his family who was with him the whole time, cuddling him, loving him, and doing their best to comfort him.
Together, they succeeded in helping Spencer accept his brother’s absence from their life.
One of the most tragic things done to dogs is when their owners simply use them for breeding. To them, these animals serve no other purpose.
These poor dogs never get to experience what it’s like to be loved by a human, and they are pretty much dumped on the street when their owners are done with them.
It’s truly a sad thing to see, and in this story, we will talk about a rescue dog who was also used for the same purpose, but whose story ultimately had a different outcome.
Bella’s Tragic Past
Bella’s past is a very sad one. For most of her life, she was only used for breeding by her owner. When her usefulness was at its limit, they got rid of her.
Her life since then had been spent in numerous animal shelters, one of which was Girls of Dog Rescue, in California.
It’s thanks to them that Bella managed to find her new human dad, Matthew David.
In an interview for The Dodo, he said: Bella has had a lot of trauma. She has lots of scars, and has been bred. She was definitely bred a lot. But she is the most gentle, sweet and affectionate dog I have ever had.
Ever since they were together, David tried his best to make Bella feel loved and like she had a place in her new home.
He continued by saying: She is a senior but still has a ton of life. Over the last two years, we have gone on lots of adventures together.
Bella’s Beautiful Daughter
As time went on, Bella’s past was weighing on David. He felt terrible that she never got to be a mom to any of her children and that she has almost never seen them.
In order to find out more about her origins, David submitted her to a dog DNA test to find out more.
To his surprise, the test turned out to be a hit. They had found Bella’s long-lost daughter, June. When David contacted June’s owner, who also lives in California, he found out that she had also been through a lot in her life.
The two decided to reunite the dogs. David said: Bella doesn’t have too many more years left, and I thought it would be fun for her to meet her pup. And perhaps as a way to heal from her past trauma.
Their reunion was an interesting one. David was surprised that Bella took interest in the dog, considering how reserved she usually is. June also showed the same enthusiasm about meeting her mom.
While it’s hard to tell if Bella knows it’s her daughter, David suspects that they do know.
He said: Bella usually ignores other dogs, so her immediately engaging with June makes me think there was a special bond.
Even though their little reunion and playtime was over, the two owners decided that the meeting between the dogs would be a regular thing.
It’s amazing that despite everything they have been through, mom and daughter get to continue spending quality time together.
Dogs… curious creatures, aren’t they?
You never know what they’ll find while playing out in the back yard from meeting unusual friends to bringing home the most hilarious things they find.
Well, this particular dog didn’t find anything funny.
This dog helped save a life, even before it had started.
What seemed like a normal daily playtime routine turned out to be a day full of amazing discoveries.
Stella, the dog, and her hooman were blessed with a family addition they’ll never forget.
Let’s Crack The Mystery… Egg?
It was a normal day for Stella, Erica Laurenzi, and their other family dog. Erica was enjoying the weather as her pups were playing on their 250-acre property in Maine. Everything seemed so perfect.
Then, Erica noticed something didn’t seem quite right. Stella was playing, but what was she playing with? She went to investigate what her pup was doing, not remembering giving her a small ball to play with.
When Erica approached Stella, she noticed that she wasn’t playing with the ball.
Stella found an egg!
It was slightly bigger than a chicken egg, filling out Erica’s palm nicely. It was such a surprise that Stella didn’t break it accidentally. The sweet pooch was super gentle with it, as if she knew that whatever is inside is too delicate.
The woman went searching around the property, trying to find the rest of the eggs, or even the mother. Still, her search was without any success.
“After an hour, there was no luck. I am the biggest believer in returning it to the mother if the opportunity is there.”, said Erica.
So, she had to do what had to be done: Erica brought the egg home with her.
Our Little Unusual Family
The mystery egg is safe at home. Now what?
Having plenty of experience in raising and rescuing birds of all kinds on her Maine farm, Erica knew exactly what to do next.
“The Googling started immediately … I knew it was an egg but was not sure what kind. We had assumed it was a turkey because we have seen them foraging on the land a couple times. Then later confirmed by a Google search the egg looked like a true match. I put the egg in my sports bra and drove to Tractor Supply to find the Rolls Royce of incubators. Nothing but the best to give this egg the best fighting chance.”, said the excited co-mommy.
Stella was watching her every move like a hawk, wondering what she got herself into. This sweet pup’s maternal instincts kicked in immediately, and all she could do was wait patiently for the egg to hatch and then shower with love whatever came out of it.
Precisely 25 days later, it was show time, right on the morning of Erica’s birthday!
“We had the incubator up high on our kitchen counter out of the reach of any potential threats. By the end of the day, her and I sat side by side on our counter stools as it picked away at its egg shell. She watched intently all night long as it dried off and got its bearings.”
Stella couldn’t move her eyes off the little thing, as if she was asking herself: Is this true? Am I going to be a mommy?
Yep, thanks to Stella, this little turkey got a chance to see how beautiful the world is.
Thanks to Stella, this orphaned egg got a family!
“Stella does go in and peek over the side of the brooder to check on her little friend, exchanging glances and little chirps,” Laurenzi said.
She’s a good dog. She knows her limits and knows that she shouldn’t bother the chick.
Erica’s plans were to raise the baby turkey and release it in the wild. Naturally, introducing her to all dogs and letting her know they’re friends would be a mistake and could potentially cause severe damage and harm to the turkey in the future.
Stella loves her unusual baby, but she still knows what’s best for her.
Did The Baby Turkey Stay?
Indeed, the baby turkey stayed with Erica and her charming farm creatures!
Stella, Erica, and the baby turkey became famous through TikTok after one of Erica’s turkey videos went viral. It was actually a sweet compilation telling the story about how Stella found the egg and how they raised it together.
The video scored an incredible number of 6.5 million views!
Ever since the little one hatched, Erica has been posting updates on its growth. The sweet little bird is doing incredibly fine for an egg that was lost out there in the wild.
Eventually, the turkey baby got a buddy of his own kind.
Having Erica and Stella as two incredible co-mommies sure means a lot to these baby turkeys. We’ll follow them on TikTok to see what the future will bring next.
