1. @underbiteunite | 207k followers
Don’t let her short stature fool you—Daisy Underbite lives life large! Rescued from euthanasia by a rescue volunteer, Daisy now lives her best life in her forever home and shares heart-lifting moments from her days with a growing Instagram fanbase. Despite dislocated elbows, right shoulder, and back hip, Daisy has learned to walk and even run with and without the use of her doggy wheelchair. As for her dramatic trademark underbite, her fans will attest it only adds to her cuteness!
2. @apupnamedsquish | 214k followers
This “perfectly imperfect” rescue pup promotes adoption and spreads happiness, one squishy smile at a time! Squish is an abuse survivor who narrowly escaped euthanasia, recommended due to the severity of his injuries. Squish now lives the good life in Texas, brightens days on the daily via his smile inducing Instagram account, and is on the road to becoming a therapy dog! Follow for adorable smiles and feel-good vibes.
3. @murraythedisableddog | 40.6k followers
Murray the Weimaraner was rescued from a Puerto Rican beach. He is a survivor of canine distemper, an often deadly virus. Despite his special looks, Murray found a forever family in Massachusetts who reports his tail “never stops wagging!” Follow for a daily pick-me up that will leave a smile on your face.
4. @white_eyed_rowdy | 108k followers
Purebred black Lab Rowdy’s white patches are the result of vitiligo, a condition in which the skin and hair lose pigment cells. Rowdy’s unique markings make him a must-follow for anyone interested in spreading vitiligo awareness and being confident and comfortable in your own skin.
5. @super_scooty | 141k followers
Say hello to what may be the happiest dog on the planet! Scooty was hit by a car as a pup in Mexico and was fully paralyzed, but has regained some motion and can now “weeble wobble” her way around. See her zoomies on the beach in a wheelchair! Check out her infectious smile! Follow for a reminder to let nothing get in your way.
6. @maggiethewunderdog | 428k followers
“Blind but beautiful” is this wonder pup’s motto! Indeed, Maggie’s new life is truly a miracle. Rescued from terrible abuse in Lebanon, she now lives in Brighton, England and works as a therapy dog. Maggie’s new life is an expression of joy that is quickly amassing a wide fanbase, inspiring her followers to not let their pasts define them and to find the good in every day.
7. @turboroo | 318k followers
Nothing slows this adorable Chihuahua down! TurboRoo was born missing both front legs, a condition known as bilateral amelia. Named for the film Turbo, which features an underdog snail who defies all odds, he loves to zoom around on his 3-D printed wheels and is an advocate for other dogs affected by the same condition, a common side effect of overbreeding. He’s even popularized his very own hashtag, #nublove.
8. @duncanlouwho | 145k followers
Be prepared to be amazed by DuncanLou, the two-legged Boxer! Despite being a double amputee, Duncan spends his days with his family playing fetch and being a good boy. Duncan was born with his back legs fused together, which put stress on his spine, necessitating the surgery. He rejected at least three doggy wheelchairs and instead learned to walk on his front legs. Nothing stops this force of nature!
This is a beautiful, heart-warming story just in time for the holiday season!
Kaylee, an eleven-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier who lived at BARCS Animal Shelter in Baltimore, finally found her forever home when a nine-year-old made the decision to "adopt the oldest dog at the shelter".
Raven, the child of Melissa Davis, told her: "I want to adopt an old dog. One that no one else wants."
Melissa was touched by Raven's wish, but she wanted to make sure that Raven knew how hard this might be. An old dog, she told Raven, would not be around very long. Adopting an old dog is a wonderful thing to do, but it can also be emotionally difficult.
Raven, however, was not to be swayed, telling Melissa: "I don’t want [dogs] to die in the shelter. They don’t deserve to die alone."
So, happily, Kaylee was welcomed into the family.
There was indeed some emotional hardship.
Kaylee had cancer, and was given a prognosis of only having two months left to live. But Raven's family was determined to give her the best two months of her life. They set out to create "Kaylee's Bucket List", and to fill her life with joy and love. In return, Kaylee enriched their lives as well.
"Kaylee has reminded us of the good in the world," Melissa Davis wrote, in a story submitted to the Petco Foundation. "[She has taught] my children… compassion in a way I've never dreamed possible. They happily gave up a vacation to Disney World because we needed the money to pay for Kaylee’s care. They told me, “That’s ok. We wouldn’t want to go without her anyway.”
Melissa's story was submitted to the Petco Foundation as a part of the annual Holiday Wishes campaign –and it won! Her prize: the amazing opportunity of helping out Kaylee's former shelter home. The BARCS Animal Shelter won a 2017 Holiday Wishes grant of $10,000 to support dogs still living at the shelter. On top of this, Kaylee's story won the grand prize of the Petco Foundation Holiday Wishes People’s Choice Awards, which was a grant of $25,000. Kaylee's old friends at BARCS now benefit from $35,000, and are able to use these funds to support dogs who have not yet found their homes.
As for Kaylee, she has since passed the two month mark. She still suffers from certain health issues, but she has received the greatest gift of all: a home, and love from a family.
Thanks so much to Melissa and Raven's family for taking a chance on a senior dog! As Raven's wisdom indicated, every dog deserves a loving home, no matter their age.
Happy holidays!
For more information on the Petco Foundation Holiday Wishes visit HERE.
Sign up for the FREE Modern Dog Magazine newsletter & get the best of Modern Dog delivered to your inbox.
"*" indicates required fields
By clicking the arrow, you agree to our web Terms of Use and Privacy & Cookie Policy. Easy unsubscribe links are provided in every email.