Husband had never seen his wife that way. She just had to adopt blind dog from Wake SPCA.
A 10-year-old blind dog at the SPCA of Wake County has found someone to spend her golden years with.
Slanna, a brindle and white mixed-breed, was already missing an eye when she was first found as a stray in South Carolina. About six weeks ago, after ending up in North Carolina, due to her age and an infection in her right eye, veterinarians removed it as well.
The 53-pound dog had been at the SPCA about three months when Jennifer McKeon saw her story, with excerpts from a report in the The News & Observer, on the Southern Living Magazine website.
“I felt this immediate, visceral connection to her. I can’t explain it. It was so strong, my husband was like, ‘I’ve never seen you this way,’” McKeon told The N&O on Thursday.
A resident of Stamford, Connecticut, McKeon submitted an adoption request, still wondering if she was making the right move. McKeon and her husband, Mike, already own Munson, a 13-year-old Shiba Inu-Malamute mix.
There were other pending adoptions for Slanna, but almost by fate, they fell through, opening the door for the McKeons to get the call.
“Adrenaline kept me going for 20 hours,” McKeon said.
After the SPCA vetting process and getting advice from her veterinarian of 20 years, she made the 11-hour drive on Oct. 28 to Raleigh to meet Slanna and bring her home.
Slanna’s new home, and new name
McKeon said Slanna has adjusted quickly. She goes for walks several times a day to get used to new sounds and smells but, much to the family’s surprise, has quickly learned the McKeons’ driveway and navigates the stairs with ease.
“We already see her trust and her resilience and her courage,” McKeon said. “She has very quickly navigated rooms and is amazing on stairs. ... I don’t know what her story was, but I do think someone owned her once and treated her very well.”
There is one other thing that’s new.
“We’re calling her Stevie.”
“For Stevie Wonder, because she is a wonder and because he is without sight, and for Stevie Nicks because we think (she) is a rock star,” McKeon said and laughed.
To ease now-Stevie’s separation anxiety, the McKeons let her sleep in their bedroom and leave her alone for short periods of time so she learns she will not be left by herself forever again. McKeon can work from home, allowing her to be with her dogs more.
“My husband is smitten,” McKeon said. “She already knows his car when he pulls into the driveway and can tell when he is walking to the door.”
Finding a home where the blind dog would feel safe and get along with other pets was part of the vetting process.
“Dogs communicate through body language,” SPCA spokesperson Samantha Ranlett said. “If she gets a warning sign from another dog to leave them alone, or if she comes on too strong to play, she won’t pick up on the sign if she crosses a line.”
Still, Munson and his new companion are on a good track.
“(Munson) was unsure at first but has not figured out that Slanna is a little different and that she is special, so they are just navigating together,” McKeon said.
As the holiday season approaches, the McKeons plan to invite family and friends over to decorate the Christmas tree with non-breakable ornaments to help celebrate Stevie. McKeon said since the adoption, people have been asking how they can help the blind dog and others like her.
She said if Stevie’s story can help get others to do something for animals in need, it will be a positive thing.
“Dogs with disabilities, they don’t know they are any different from other dogs,” Ranlett said. “They want to feel loved, feel happy, enjoy their lives, have food and shelter. Slanna hopes to have the same care as anyone else.”
More adoptions needed
The SPCA gets dozens of animals each year who are missing limbs, are deaf or blind, or who have neurological conditions.
Last year, the organization saved 4,291 animals and soon will expand to serve more animals and pet owners in the area.
It offers a trial adoption period for prospective owners, letting people live with a pet for a few days to see how things go. People will need to complete an online adoption survey for any animals they are interested in adopting.
“Doing good was never the reason (for the adoption). We just felt the connection,” McKeon said. “She is the most gentle, docile dog. She is the most amazing, she’s so soft and lovely, and we are doing everything we can to make her feel she is safe, that she is home and this is where she belongs.”
This story was originally published October 25, 2023 at 8:00 AM.