Animal hoarding is devastating to the creatures subjected to horrid living conditions. The absolutely adorable Piglet happens to be the product of a hoarding situation in Georgia where 37 dogs were confiscated.
Despite his condition, Piglet quickly became an inspiration.
But after his rescue, it didn’t take long for his rescuers to learn the heartbreaking truth about Piglet.
The little Dachshund-Chihuahua mix was in a litter created by two dapple-colored parents, which has a 25 percent chance of producing a double dapple. That coloring causes congenital ear and eye defects and partially or completely blind/deaf puppies like poor Piglet.
But this little trooper wouldn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him. It took a bit, but he soon adjusted.
At first, the pastel-colored puppy spent months screaming as his world was nothing but silence and darkness.
How scared this puppy must have been!
“He was so anxious, he was screaming constantly. He would play, then go to sleep, but when he wasn’t doing either of those, he was screaming. I couldn’t leave the house the first month I had the dog here.”
Finally, Piglet settled into a routine with his foster family, adjusting to snuggling in his loved ones’ arms, playing cautiously with the other six dogs in the home, going for walks and making house calls with his veterinarian mom Melissa Shapiro. Piglet loves to sniff out his best buds at the bank, pet stores and the animal hospital.
Piglet soon adjusted well to his foster home and it didn’t take long before they felt compelled to adopt him.
“It was quite a decision to make. He is a lot of work and he is like a full-time job, taking care of a little disabled baby. But he’s so cute, and we couldn’t give him away at that point.”
In October 2017, Piglet was asked to be the celebrity guest at a fundraiser led by Woofgang and Company that employs disabled young adults who bake and sell dog treats. He quickly became the face of dog disabilities and a loving example of why spaying and neutering pets is the best answer in many situations.
When a third grade teacher in Massachusetts used Piglet’s life tale The Story of Piglet as a way to teach her students about his positive mindset and the acceptance of those with disabilities, Piglet shot to stardom. He has unknowingly become the kids’ role model and when they face trouble, they are asked, “What would Piglet do?”
Melissa is stunned at the impact Piglet has had on kids everywhere.
“The students sent beautiful hand-drawn cards with messages to Piglet which left us speechless. This initiative turned into a program that is now used by other schools around the world.”
Ever since then, Piglet has debuted at numerous special events, always bringing a smile to everyone’s faces. What an inspiration this little guy is to others! We are so happy he found such a loving home and was able to inspire others with his story.
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