Let me tell you a story about a woman named Alex Wildee, who is a true hero when it comes to difficult adoptions. She’s the one who drove an amazing 900 miles from Colorado to Texas to pick up a special shelter dog. And now, she’s done it again! This time, she found a pregnant Catahoula mix named Arizona who was on the euthanasia list at a kill shelter. But thanks to Wildee, Arizona and her five puppies were saved!
When the mama and her litter of three-day-old pups arrived in Denver to meet their savior, Wildee fell in love instantly.
But soon after, she noticed that Dakota, the runt of the litter, was not developing as quickly as his siblings.
So, she spent several evenings bottle feeding him puppy milk replacer to ensure his health. And it worked! Little Dakota began to grow bigger and stronger.
But despite his hearty appearance, there was something a bit different about Dakota. As the puppies became more active, Wildee noticed that the runt seemed to be vision impaired.
It turns out that Dakota has very little vision at all – mostly light and shadows – and may also be deaf.
But these special needs have not slowed the feisty pup down one bit!
Now that the puppies are old enough, they are available for adoption through Circle 2 Rescue. Two of Dakota’s littermates have already gone to new homes, and the other two have had interested applicants. But poor Dakota has not had a single interested adopter.
Luckily, Dakota’s story went viral pretty fast, and only three weeks after his brothers and sisters were adopted, Dakota finally got the call everyone’s been looking for. There were pawrents waiting for Dakota!
What blew everyone’s mind is that Dakota’s new family knew exactly what it’s like to live with a disability. They knew how it’s like to be visually impaired because Dakota’s new dad was partially blind too. They couldn’t find a better fit for Dakota!
When this Denver couple heard of Dakota’s story, they knew in their hearts that this was a pup that belonged in their family. The bond was forged instantly. Seeing Dakota playing with his new siblings makes you think he really found the right place under the sun for him.
As for the once death-row mommy, Arizona now lives a very happy life with her pawrents.
If it weren’t for Alex Wildee, six families wouldn’t know what it’s like to feel pure love and joy from these pups and their mom. It’s amazing how one person can make such a huge difference in the lives of so many animals. Thanks to Alex Wildee’s dedication and love for animals, Dakota and his siblings now have loving homes, and Arizona and her puppies were saved from a terrible fate.
It’s heartwarming to see how special needs animals like Dakota can find their perfect match in humans who understand and appreciate their unique qualities. It’s a reminder that love knows no boundaries and that every animal deserves a chance at a happy life.
So, if you’re ever in doubt about adopting a special needs animal, just remember Dakota’s story. He may have had a rough start in life, but with the love and care of his new family, he’s now living his best life. And that’s all any animal could ever hope for.
