Puppies with cleft palates are at risk of developing severe illnesses. In the worst-case scenario, leaving the cleft palate unaddressed may result in death. Hence, few are brave enough to keep a dog in such a condition.
One interesting story about overcoming a cleft palate features a dog named Zephyr. Like most puppies with this condition, he had to be fed using a tube for weeks. Nobody showed interest in caring for him until a person named Jess came along.
Jess knew about Zephyr and observed him from the sidelines. But one day, the woman had to play an active role in saving the dog because of an unexpected circumstance. The shelter was getting full, so some dogs needed to be euthanized. If not for Jess’s intervention, the animal shelter might have put down Zephyr.
When Zephyr reached a certain weight, he underwent a final surgery to get his palate fixed. That marked the end of Jess’s foster care arrangement with the dog. However, they wouldn’t be separated for long because the woman could not resist and decided to adopt Zephyr.
Zephyr was a lively dog, and despite being energetic, he was still well-behaved. Sometimes Zephyr’s extreme calm and obedience make Jess second-guess if the dog has psychological abnormalities. That’s because she has never met a dog as disciplined as him.
Nowadays, Jess is fostering lots of puppies. Zephyr acts as a brother, showing them the ropes. He is efficient at what he does because he knows how to hold back when playing with puppies. Of course, when playing with adult dogs, he is allowed to be more reckless or silly.
This story is a classic example of what dogs with cleft palates can be capable of once treated. All these dogs need is someone to take on the challenge of caring for them. Jess is an example of that, a great person that instills hope for every dog she fosters.
Source: The Dodo via YouTube.
Read another inspiring dog story: Dog Rescued From The Streets Moves To The Big City To Be With His Forever Family.
