Left on a Highway for Being “Different”—This Special Needs Puppy Just Wants a Family
Keller, a 13-week-old Australian Shepherd mix, has the kind of beauty that stops you in your tracks—those soulful eyes, that fluffy coat, the joyful bounce in his step. But behind the charm is a heartbreaking truth: Keller was cruelly dumped on a highway because he’s deaf and partially blind. (Watch Video Below)
@homelesspetsfoundation Keller is a special pup with a gentle soul, looking for his forever family in Marietta, GA. 🐶💙 As a double merle, he was born with congenital hearing and vision impairments—but that doesn’t stop him from being curious, loving, and full of potential. At Homeless Pets Foundation, we believe every dog deserves a chance, no matter their needs. With patience and the right kind of love, Keller will make an amazing companion. Ready to open your heart to someone extraordinary? Visit us at http://homelesspets.com to meet him! 🦶🏡 #HomelessPetsFoundation #AdoptDontShop #DoubleMerleAwareness #SpecialNeedsDog #RescueLove #PetAdoption #MariettaGA #ForeverHomeNeeded #DeafDogsOfInstagram #BlindDogsCan #RescueDogLove ♬ original sound – Homeless Pets Foundation
At first glance, Keller looks like every other jovial, full-of-life puppy who’s never tasted pain. But that’s far from reality. Keller was found abandoned on a highway a few days ago simply because he has visual and hearing disabilities. You see, this adorable pup is a double merle, meaning he inherited two copies of the merle gene from his parents. While the merle gene is what gives some dogs appealing physical attributes, having two copies of this gene results in serious congenital defects, especially blindness and deafness.
Sweet Keller didn’t choose his birth parents. Sadly, his previous owners chose to discard him like trash as if having disabilities makes him unworthy of love.
A Miraculous Survival
It’s a miracle that Keller made it out of the highway alive because the worst could have happened, given that he is partially blind and fully deaf.
Nobody knows how close Keller came to being hit, or the terror he felt within him when he realized the people he considered family wanted nothing to do with him. When he was brought to the Homeless Pets Foundation in Marietta, GA, everyone expected to encounter a puppy with so much trauma resulting from his cruel abandonment. They expected a puppy who’d flinch at every touch or remain shut down because of how dark the world around him looks.
Surprisingly, it was the opposite.
From the very first day Keller stepped into the rescue, he’s been radiating pure, unshakable joy. He trusts easily, opens his heart fully to everyone who interacts with him, and wags his tail with the intensity of a puppy who thinks of his disabilities as his special factor, not as limitations.
Keller is sweet, playful, and loving beyond words. He yearns for a fresh start with a family that will view him not as a burden, but as an extraordinary puppy who deserves to be loved in an extraordinary way.
Please Give Keller a Home
Keller has every right to hold a grudge with everyone because of how the world treated him, but he is over it. He doesn’t know that he is different; all he knows is that every day is worth celebrating because he is alive. Keller craves to be part of a loving family that will never make him feel like he isn’t enough. Sure, he may have lost his senses. But his enthusiasm for life? It’s out of this world.
Keller needs a patient, kind, and understanding forever home that will tend to his special needs and make him feel safe. One thing we’re sure of is that opening your heart and home to a dog like Keller will change you in the most beautiful way. If you’d love to adopt Keller, learn more here.
