And wouldn’t you also agree that it shouldn’t matter how they look, or what their disabilities might be?

Well, regardless of an animal lovers’ best intentions, it remains true that special needs animals often get the short end of the stick.

For example, consider the case of Keller, an Australian shepherd, who just so happens to be a double merle.

If you’re unaware, double merles have interesting fur; they boast beautiful combinations of black, white, brown and gray.

Poor Keller was on the chopping block once and it had nothing to do with his hair or personality. No, it had to do with the downside of being a double merle:

Such dogs are unfortunately prone to disabilities such as blindness and deafness, and sometimes, they’re born with both debilitating problems.

Keller was one such unlucky pup, as she was born blind and deaf, and the breeder had just planned to shoot her. It was going to be too tough to deal with her.

But one dog lover learned what was about to happen and immediately stepped in.  She just couldn’t let Keller die!

Furthermore, when the new owner started learning more about double merles, she decided to take another very big step:

She started Keller’s Cause, an organization dedicated to changing the world for double merles, “by educating, advocating, and promoting the adoption of special needs dogs.”

Now, Keller is a very happy and active pooch, and she lives with two double merle friends, Calamity and Braille.

And so what if Keller has a few handicaps? She’s still a VERY smart dog!

Keller already knows over 25 different commands, all given by touch and tactile cues. She proves every single day just how amazing she really is.

Just think, not that long ago, Keller was about to die…and all because of one very concerned dog lover, Keller is now alive and healthy.

On top of which, Keller’s plight has likely saved many more double merles thanks to the new foundation she’s named after.

It’s one thing to hear a sad story and just say, “aw, that’s too bad.” It’s quite another to take action and DO something about it.

We applaud Keller’s Cause and hope animal lovers throughout the world will consider adopting special needs dogs like these incredible double merles!

Sources: Animals Being Cute, Keller’s Cause

The post This Poor Pooch Is About To Be Shot, And When You Learn Why, You’ll Be Livid appeared first on Addicting Stories.

Books in Braille as well as audio books can provide entertainment, and screen reading software makes it possible for blind people to even surf the internet.

But it’s a little different if you’re a dog and you’re blind. Unless you’re attached to a person via a leash, the world is a big, dark, scary place.

That’s the world that a little dog in Nevada was born into.

Many breeders would have euthanized little Dunder because she would be impossible to sell, but Dunder was lucky enough to have a breeder who knows  there is a home for everyone.

She was willing to keep Dunder forever rather than risk her going to a home where she wouldn’t get the attention she needed.

Then, one day,  she found the perfect home for Dunder. Just by taking her to a veterinarian for a checkup!

Their veterinarian, Alexa Fiala, fell in love with Dunder and everyone involved decided that Alexa would make a great mom for a special needs dog-child.

She did everything possible to make sure that Dunder had everything she needed to grow up healthy and happy.

But Alexa also knew Dunder was still very, very scared of the world in general…

When she first came to Alexa, she was frightened to move, afraid she would bump into something. Because sometimes the bumps hurt really badly, she was afraid to move faster than a crawl.

She was very fearful of new things, especially new surroundings. If she had to go outside her comfort zone, just a few feet inside Alex’s home, she was terrified.

Then Alexa got her first idea: She recognized the value of audible toys.

Bells, squeakers, and crinkle toys turned Dunder into a puppy again; Fiala watched in amazement as the blind dog happily played with the noisy toys.

She started incorporating other training methods suggested by trainers and breeders for helping blind dogs. Her heart swelled with joy watching as Dunder gradually came out of her shell.

Still, Dunder had a long way to go to become a “normal” dog.

Then one day Dunder’s breeder contacted her to tell her that she had another special needs dog that needed a good home.

The new dog, Darby, has a disorder that causes serious eating problems. The dog’s esophagus is too big, and she requires special care to ensure she gets the nutrients she needs.

After giving it a lot of thought, Alexa decided having a best friend that could see might be just what the doctor, or the veterinarian, ordered.

It was absolutely love at first sight when Dunder and Darby were introduced! Alexa knew immediately she had made the right decision.

Darby was exactly the confidence booster that Dunder needed. Instead of being afraid in uncomfortable situations, now Dunder just blindly (no pun intended) follows Darby.

Oh yes, it’s adorable; they go everywhere together, and Dunder’s struggles evaporate with Darby’s guidance.

Now, no one would ever guess that Dunder is blind. She runs at full speed, wrestles with her sister, begs for treats, and does tricks. She does everything with the utmost confidence.

Unless she occasionally runs into something, no one realizes she has a disability. And, when she does make a misstep, it’s not the traumatic event it once would have been.

Dunder now seems to just laugh at herself, and immediately takes off after Darby at a dead run.

Some things are just “meant to be” and Alexa is quite certain that it was in the stars for Darby and Dunder to come to live with her!

You can follow the antics of Dunder and Darby on their Instagram account.

Source: I Heart Dogs

The post Blind Dog Is So Terrified, She Can Barely Move…Then Her Owner Gets A Genius Idea appeared first on Addicting Stories.