To find optimism and empathy in each other, the boy with a cleft lip adopts a dog with a cleft lip like him.
There is nothing more precious than the love between a child and their first pet dog. But a pair of new friends have something very special in common and miraculously found each other when they needed it most.
Bentley Boyers is a 2-year-old boy from Jackson, Michigan, who was born with a cleft lip, a birth defect that involves a split opening in the upper lip. Although he underwent surgeries to fix his lip, his parents say it hasn’t been easy.
“We had to sit him down, feed him and put his lip together so he could eat, so it was a process,” his mother Ashley told WILX .
But last week, something surprising happened: Bentley’s father, Brandon, went to a shelter with the intention of adopting chickens, but instead saw a two-month-old rescue dog… who turned out to also have a cleft palate.
Stunned, he called his wife and they both agreed that they should have the dog for Bentley.
It’s clear that Bentley is thrilled to have his new pup. Photos show him happily petting and kissing the dog after meeting her for the first time.
It’s an unlikely miracle: The shelter says they don’t see many dogs with cleft lips, so it was lucky they were there at the right time.
They know it would be great for Bentley to have a dog with a similar birth defect. She still has to undergo bone graft surgery to fix her lip, but at least he’ll have a dog who understands what he’s going through.
“Seeing him have something in common with a puppy means a lot because he can grow up and understand that he and his puppy have something they can share in common,” Ashley said.
Likewise, the puppy will have a loving owner who will love her no matter what she looks like.
“Her disability isn’t really holding her back, and as she gets older, you’ll be able to see more if there are any changes that have to do with that. But she’s really doing well,” Director of Animal Services Lydia Sattler told WILX.
“She may look a little different than a normal dog would, but that doesn’t stop her at all.”
“They loved each other instantly,” the shelter wrote on Facebook. “We wish you many years of joy as this special couple grows together!”
How gorgeous! It is always important to have someone in your life who understands you. We are so glad this perfect couple found each other and we will be happy together for years to come.
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