A blind dachshund and his pitbull guide dog have been reunited, warming the hearts of many on social media (Facebook photo) who followed the pair since they landed together at a shelter in Virginia and then somehow were separated.
OJ, the blind 12-year-old dachshund, and his 6-year-old best friend and guide dog Blue Dozer came to the Richmond Animal Care and Control shelter on April 20 after their original owner became homeless and could no longer take care of them, the Staunton News Leader reported.
"OJ is blind and depends on Dozer to show him around," the shelter said on Facebook, per the News Leader. "We can't stand the cuteness and kindness these two share. Anyone willing to love a bonded pair of perfection?"
Tracy Hearn, the interim director of the Shenandoah Valley Animal Services Center in Lyndhurst, Virginia, told the newspaper that a local woman reached out to her about her interest in both dogs and directed her to the Richmond shelter.
The adoption was thought to have gone smoothly with the new owner agreeing that the two dogs would stay together.
Than last Tuesday OJ was found alone on the side of a road near Staunton and turned into the Shenandoah center as a stray, The Washington Post reported. OJ was positively identified by his microchip.
The dogs' new owner, who was not identified, told Hearn that someone was "watching" OJ for her and that the shelter could keep him, but she was determined to keep Blue Dozer.
Christie Chipps Peters, director of the Richmond Animal Care and Control shelter, told the Post that she didn’t believe the owner understood that "they needed to be together."
The owner told Peters she became scared after receiving more than 600 death threats on email and social media once news spread that OJ and Blue Dozer were split up.
Hearn said the new owner later decided to give up Blue Dozer and hoped the two dogs could be united, per the News Leader. By Wednesday evening the best buddies were back together at the Richmond shelter.
"… We will not be doing anything with OJ & Dozer in the next few days other than snuggling them together," the Richmond shelter said in a statement, per the News Leader. "I will keep you posted if and when they are available for adoption. For the thousands of people that shared this incredible story and felt the love we did-thank you. Their story isn’t over and we are grateful that we have an incredible staff that worked hard tonight to ensure these sweet dogs have another chapter."
Twitter users rejoiced about the reunion.