Heartwarming News & Entertainment
Couple That Can’t Have Kids Adopt Homeless Puppy: The Impact of This Unlikely Bond Melts Hearts
Gabrielle LaFrank
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When new homeowner Joy Steinmiller and her husband decided it was time to add four new paws to their family, it had been a long time coming. Despite wanting to adopt a pet for years, they were unable to own a dog in their previous home. Now in a new home the couple was more than ready to become dog owners.
So when Joy scrolled by a picture of a Jack Russell Terrier puppy on Craigslist over 11 years ago, she immediately fell in love. It didn’t take long for her to learn about the pup’s difficult start to life or for her to decide she needed to meet him.
Over a decade later, Buddy is more like her child than her pet, and he’s the cornerstone of the Steinmiller family. And this is how his story began:
A New Lease on Life–At Just Weeks Old
Buddy’s backstory is heartbreaking. He was found by the side of the road at just a few weeks old, far too young to be fully weaned from his mother. Fortunately, the woman who found him was a Michigan local who ran a dog rescue. The stray puppy was in good hands and not dealing with any major health concerns aside from his tiny size, and he was ready to meet his forever family when he was about 5-months-old.
Love at First Sight Goes Both Ways
Joy was already in love with the puppy from his pictures alone, but both she and Buddy’s rescuer were overjoyed when he fell in love with Joy, too. The rescuer brought the puppy to the Steinmillers’ home to ensure he was being adopted by the right people, and it’s safe to say that he was.
“When they came in the house,” Joy explained, “I had already sat on the floor. I wanted to be at his level. He came right to me and got in my lap.” As if that isn’t sweet enough, she even noticed something special about him that even his rescuer and first veterinarian didn’t pick up on: he wasn’t just a Jack Russell!
She knew right away that her affectionate puppy was part Pit Bull, too, and that didn’t change how she felt about him. In her own words, “We know the only dangerous part of the Pittie is the back end–very happy hard tail and paint-melting gas. But we love him and would never want him to be anything but what he is.”
A Love That Gets Better With Age
That unconditional love has only gotten stronger the longer this family has been together. It only took a few weeks for him to feel completely at home and to seek out Joy for comfort and companionship.
Several weeks after Buddy came home, the Steinmillers took a road trip in the car to see family. When the Pittie pup became nervous on the road, though, Joy offered him a spot in her lap. Instead, he made himself comfy on her head! Needless to say, the dog mom and pup have shared a close bond since the moment Buddy came home.
Now that Buddy is older, he’s much more comfortable in the car. The family enjoys trips to the drive-in during the summer and the seasonal drive-through Christmas light show in the winter. The well-mannered pup has even done well on a family trip to Tennessee, and it’s all thanks to his resilient spirit and his owners’ unwavering care.
Buddy is now a strapping senior gentleman at the age of 11, but don’t tell him that! Other than some white hairs on his face, he seems like the same dog he’s been for the last decade. His proud owner mentioned that even his veterinarian is impressed by the way he acts for his age. What’s your secret, Buddy?
Giving a Childless Couple Unconditional Love
Although Joy and her husband had wanted a dog for years before they met Buddy, there was once a time when they also wanted a child. Sadly, the couple was never able to have or adopt children, but they came to a place of acceptance and were ready to share that love with a pet.
“We can’t have kids,” she summarized, “ and because of medical issues on my part, I could never pass muster to adopt humans. Many people say it’s not the same thing, and I know it’s not exactly, but it’s the closest we’ll ever get to being parents. To him, we are.”
Many dog owners can relate to having a parent-child relationship with their pets! Even though, as Joy explained, having a dog is not the same as raising a child, owning a dog like Buddy can provide similar opportunities for nurturing, care, and so, so much love.
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