Helen Woodward Animal Center said that the pooch "really suffered at the hands of his former owners but he shows no malice towards humankind."
Dogs give us unparalleled love when we treat them right, and those innocent beings deserve every bit of it. These loyal, cuddly, and cute creatures become our companions and continue to shower us with their affection even when we don't deserve it. However, there are some people who particularly don't deserve the love of these beautiful beings. This heartbreaking story of Louis, a 3-year-old Lab/Shepherd mix, proves just that.
Louis is now blind because his owners didn't pay attention to his needs. He has also been abandoned by them. He arrived at the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, California, in late December 2020 after his owners didn't want to take care of him anymore. In "a case unlike any other seen" at the rescue center, the dog's owner chose to get his eyes removed instead of getting him treated for his eye infection, reports People.
After the procedure, when the dog came home, it obviously took him time to adjust to a life without eyes. However, his owners ran out of patience and surrendered him at a pound in Calexico. While the dog had to adjust to a life without an important body part, the owners were not able to take care of a special needs dog. A rescue partner of Helen Woodward brought him to the animal center from the pound.
After losing his home, Louis was going through extreme changes. The 3-year-old pooch arrived at the animal center completely heartbroken. After a medical check, it was found that he had old, untreated injuries, likely from being hit by a car.
"It is incredibly important that people who consider getting a pet know the obligations they take on with these animals," Helen Woodward Animal Center Adoptions Director Hella Tyler said in a statement. "When people get their pets for free off of Craigslist, they don't seem to realize that pets come with responsibilities and a monthly expense for their caretaking, including medical care. In turn, these pets will provide their owners with unparalleled love. They pay it back tenfold. It's just devastating to see an animal treated the way Louis was treated," they said.
The pooch was soon sent to a foster home where he has been learning to adjust to life thanks to the supportive family. Now, he needs a forever home and the animal center wants to find him the perfect place. There are certain specific requirements for the owner. Their home should be a one-story house, and, the owner should, ideally, work from home.
Louis is still adjusting to his limb injury and the loss of his sight, so, the family has to be "prepared to provide patience and special care" as he "learns his way around a new home," according to Helen Woodward.
Helen added that the pooch is "extraordinary." "He really suffered at the hands of his former owners but he shows no malice towards humankind. He is ready to love the perfect family and he certainly deserves one," the adoption director added.
The response to Louis has been immense and the animal center thanked everyone who got in touch. "We knew this story was going to be tough and that many of you want to take action. We ask that you take action by spreading Louis' story and asking others to treat pets with the kindness they deserve," Helen said.
"Louis is going to be amazing. Difference is, that he had his sight for three years. So now he’s living in a world that is very unknown to him and scary to him,” Jennifer Gercke with the Helen Woodward Animal Center said, according to Fox News. The journey ahead for Louis might be a long and challenging one, and he deserves a loving home. "He’s incredibly gentle. You can tell he loves people, he loves other animals,” Jennifer said. "But he’s having to learn how to live in the world in the dark. So that’s part of what whoever adopts him is going to have to realize."
References:
https://people.com/pets/abandoned-blind-dog-adoption-california/
https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/meet-louis-blind-rescue-dog-in-need-of-loving-home/