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Most people abandon or punish their dogs because they say they’re untrusting, destructive, unpredictable, and dangerous to them which is rarely the case because they never stop to think that this canine might have had a difficult and painful past that continues to haunt them before they become a part of their lives or family and so they treat them unjustly. This then becomes a known fact when these dogs meet the humans who understand their unique needs, and reasons for these “strange” behaviors and they identify the way forward, they become some of the softest and the most loving canines one would ever see. No dog’s dangerous, destructive, and cruel, times, and humans might have done a thing or two to them but only the humans who recognize these can bring them back to life, this leaves the responsibility on our shoulders as dog parents or a potential one.
This is the story of Cooper, a Labrador retriever who shows us how love and kindness can help a dog get through the trauma of its past.
THE TRAGIC BACKSTORY
The rescuers got an urgent call one cold morning that a dog had been crying and barking nonstop in the neighborhood for a couple of hours and they needed to move swiftly into action. The last caller wasn’t far away from the dog when he put the call through and the rescuer behind the call could hear loud and clear the cry, whimpering, and fear of the dog. That was the last straw to the urgent arrival of the rescuers to the scene, to say he was in dire need of help was an understatement and doesn’t capture the gravity of the situation he was in. They met him in one of the most horrifying scenes ever while rescuing a dog. He was whimpering and crying with all his strength and each cry was echoing his pain and suffering. Cooper’s mouth was swollen, smashed, and caked in blood. All over her fur, there was dry blood which further added to the gruesome look.
He was rushed to the hospital for swift medical treatment. The vet did a CT scan, X-ray, and several examinations to know the extent of the damage that had been done to his mouth and it was clear without doubt that a horrible person had shot him multiple times shattering both his upper and lower jaws and left him to die from bleeding. The X-ray was too horrifying to look at just like his face. The vet’s recommendation for the rescuers on Cooper was focused on two options which were either to euthanize him and end his suffering and pain or to let him live but without his jaws and nose. It was such a heart-wrenching moment to make this important decision for Cooper. The decision weighed on them heavily because both options would forever impact the quality of his life. Everyone went silent mulling on the issue of what necessary steps were to be taken. After several considerations, takes and thoughts of how he had fought bravely while crying for help and not giving up on humans despite all he had been through, they all decided that giving him a chance at life rather than euthanizing him was the best option for him. They didn’t want to give up on him just as he didn’t give up on himself and the fact that someone had shot and left him helplessly with the intent to kill was enough reason to make sure he lived and had a better chance at life not knowing that it would be one of the best decisions they’ve made for one of the dogs they’ve ever rescued.
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With the decision made, Cooper was prepped and underwent surgery to repair his mouth to the possible level and his condition gradually began to stabilize. The beginning of his recovery was full of uncertainties as everyone watched him heal from a broken past with the evidence plainly in sight. The medical team tried their best to manage his pain and discomfort and his health started to improve. Little by little, he started to adjust and adapt to his new reality and started learning how to navigate life with this altered state of physical health. The way he started learning new feeding methods and staying dedicated and resilient with it, made the rescuers clear any doubt on the decision they had made for him. As soon he mastered this new feeding technique, his spirit started to lift as if he had found a new reason to live and there was hope and contentment in his eyes. Despite this major change, he started to find happiness in the little things of life such as playing with toys and running around. Seeing him play and enjoying these moments made everyone happy and brought tears to the eyes of some.
Upon discharge, everyone on the medical team was sad to see him go but were proud of him for putting up a good fight against his fate, they even gave him a standing ovation for this purpose and Cooper wagged his tail enjoying the attention which was clear that he had never had.
A NEW HOME, A NEW BEGINNING.
Two months post-discharge, the only evidence of her past was his mouth except that, anyone wouldn’t know he’s had a heartbreaking past. He grew into a big, healthy, and happy dog and became unrecognizable. Everyone was worried he had been there at the shelter for two months and no one wanted him and he would probably have to stay there for the rest of his life as a result of this but were they wrong! A newly wedded couple adopted Cooper and took him on despite his horrible beginning and became a beautiful part of their family.
Unexpectedly in a huge turn of events, Cooper wasn’t what they expected as he was destructive at the beginning of his stay in the new home. He would break things and only feel remorseful when they scolded him, despite all of that, the couple decided to be patient and kind to him because they could see that he had a story behind this behavior. He was taken to the vet who explained and told them they were right about the possible reason for his behavior and they were advised to bring him for therapy and while waiting for him to heal, they should treat him with absolute love. A month into his stay there, he suddenly stopped being destructive around the house and simply became attached to the woman.
This was not only sudden but was also surprising as they couldn’t figure out why he suddenly changed, the vet hadn’t told them it was a matter of weeks before he healed but would take time for it to happen. No matter how hard they thought about it, they couldn’t find the answer to the question brewing in their mind. The answer soon came but in a shocking unexpected twist of fate, the woman found out she was pregnant, and that was why Cooper became attached to her and became her shadow, always by her side.
Throughout the moment of pregnancy, Cooper remained calmly beside the woman always, as if he was protecting her and the unborn child from unknown and unseen harm. When the baby arrived, it was a no-brainer that the duo would become best of friends and inseparable. Cooper would watch the baby always and only sleep during the day when the baby slept, it was like having an extension of the baby but on four legs and has fur. This was the normal event in their home until they discovered something that was even more shocking.
When the baby was 6 months old, the couple fixed a camera and monitor in the baby’s room so they could hear and see if he was crying so they could quickly and easily know to attend to him. For a while, the monitor would go off without the baby crying, which baffled them and they wondered what was going on. They were worried something was setting off the monitor but what it was was what they couldn’t understand. They decided to investigate and they were shocked as the camera captured Cooper checking up on the baby. They were relieved, shocked, and happy to find out that Cooper had been checking up on the baby and making sure he was okay.
This was a big brother move and not only had he proved he was the best big brother for his sibling but has also shown us that love and kindness can heal even the most broken dog when it comes from their favorite people in the world and they are capable of loving, caring and stay loyal to them and everyone important to them.