‘Sweet’ dog who lost both of his eyes needed a home. Then came a ‘passionate’ family
A “sweet” dog who lost both eyes needed a home — then came a “passionate” family.
The family read a Virginia animal shelter’s post about Apollo the dog and couldn’t wait to meet him.
“It was love at first sight (or scent for Apollo) to say the least,” the Lynchburg Humane Society wrote Jan. 28 on Facebook. “They shared with us they researched for hours to ensure they knew all about blind dog care, and how to set them up for success. We know he is in the best hands!”
The heartwarming adoption came after the 8-year-old pup arrived at the shelter in rough shape.
The humane society said “he was found outside in incredible pain. With one ruptured eye, and the other shrunken and clouded over, Apollo had to undergo a double enucleation,” a surgery to remove his two eyes.
As Apollo recovered from the late-December procedure, he went into foster care. He “thrived” at the home as he started to adjust to life without one of his senses.
“Apollo has always been a really sweet dog,” spokesperson Claire LeFew told McClatchy News in a phone interview. “He’s always been one that our staff really loved. After his surgery, he definitely had some confusion. He also had a cone on, which was for his safety but sometimes it makes it a little bit harder to get around.”
Apollo, also described as a “loving” and “trusting,” leaned on a shelter worker as he learned to walk without his sight. A post about his progress eventually caught a family’s attention.
“His new family saw the update and he reminded them so much of their recently passed husky,” the shelter wrote. “They were immediately pulled to meet him.”
Then came the good news that the family adopted Apollo. Several Facebook users shared celebratory comments as the dog settled in with his new owners.
“We were so excited,” LeFew said. “And especially excited to learn about how passionate his adopters are about giving him a great home.”
Lynchburg Humane Society is a roughly 50-mile drive east from Roanoke.
