Finding a new home can be extremely challenging for abandoned pups. Things become even more difficult when the dog in question has disabilities.
Due to many prejudices, dogs with disabilities are the last ones to get adopted. Many spend their entire lives in shelters without ever finding the comfort of a loving family.
Fortunately, Ernie, a cattle dog mix with disabilities and one of two heroes of our story, managed to find a family that would understand his special needs.
While he spent many days waiting, he is proof that sometimes, good things are worth the wait.
Ernie’s Sad Story
Ernie was born deaf and almost entirely blind on a farm in Texas.
While his family loved him dearly, they were afraid that a farm wasn’t a safe life for a helpless, disabled puppy.
So, they gave him to a local shelter, hoping they’d be able to find him a more suited home.
After some time with no luck, the shelter surrendered him to Texas Humane Heroes, a no-kill organization from Leander, Texas.
THH makes it their mission to help every abandoned paw under their protection find a new home, regardless of their condition. Ernie was no different.
A Retired Veteran Who Lost So Much
As a son of a Korean War veteran, Steve always knew he wanted to serve his country. And that’s exactly what he did when he enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1985 before making the military his full-time job in 1997.
Throughout his employment as an infantryman, and later, as a part of the military intelligence (MI), he sustained numerous injuries, resulting in a Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that he deals with even today.
When he was not at the battlefront, he was enjoying a family life. He and his wife have applied to foster two boys in 2011, but Steve wouldn’t meet them until he returned from Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, it turned out that Nathan and Cole, their two boys, were both diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Nathan also had Coats’ disease, a rare retinal disorder that has left him blind in his left eye.
By 2020, the couple legally adopted Nathan and Cole, but ultimately divorced and retired Steve settled in Texas. Things only got worse with all the bad events that had happened worldwide that year.
“I was really struggling when I first got out of the military,” Steve had said to the Pets for Paws. “I needed someone to hang out with, to do something with.”
This is when he started considering adopting a dog.
All You Need Is Patience
Next to the immense loneliness he was feeling, Steve had a promise to make.
“I promised the boys I would get a dog someday, one they could have at my house so there was something there when they came to see me, too.”
So, Steve began a quest to find a perfect pup for himself and his two sons.
This wasn’t an easy task, though, and he didn’t want to rush it. He knew that finding a great companion takes time, and that he needed to be patient.
That’s when he learned about Steve.
“I read about his special needs and thought, ‘Geez, this dog would fit right in with us.’ My kids have special needs. I’m kind of deaf and blind and have special needs. I really wanted to meet him,” Steve said.
While asking questions about the pup that caught his interest, Steve learned a heartbreaking truth: Ernie was waiting in the shelter for more than 200 days.
Once he learned about this and got to meet this loveable pup in person, Steve knew that the search was over.
Happiness Goes In Pairs
The duo bonded instantly! Steve and Ernie – now called Private – connected over disabilities they both share, and the same thing happened once Private met Nathan and Cole.
Steve learned that Private can feel vibrations, so he communicates with his pup by snapping his fingers or touching something that’s near him.
He also discovered Private loves any kind of attention – especially pets.
“He loves to be stroked. His favorite place is just under the chin, where the nose meets the neck. He loves to be stroked there. If I stop petting him, he wants more with his paws. It’s like he’s saying, how dare you stop?” said Steve about his new best friend.
Today, Steve helps other retired veterans find their four-legged companions. He cherishes the bond he and his sons have with Private and is a huge advocate for adopting dogs with special needs.
As for Private, he enjoys car rides and long cuddles and is the best dog possible, not letting his disabilities stop him.
True heroes!
Vanja’s passion for writing started at an early age, which is why she pursued Journalism as her college degree. She can research any topic and find all the information before you bat an eye, which is a great thing for her job but a terrible one for her husband.
Even as a young child, she fell in love with everything fluffy – but dogs have a special place in her heart due to her childhood companion, a Corgie named Archie.
Motivated by her experiences and driven by a desire to give back to her four-legged companions, she spends her free time volunteering at a local dog shelter.