We often hear that dogs are ‘man’s best friend’ and the amount of loyalty that they show is undeniable. At times, that loyalty may even be seen after their owners are gone.
That is where Moose comes in. He is a three-year-old Labrador mix that lived with his owner in New Jersey. Unfortunately, Moose was orphaned when his owner died in the hospital.
Moose was not willing to leave the hospital bed and he stayed there faithfully, waiting for his owner to return. Somebody thought to take a picture and capture the moment and then uploaded it online.
The photo was posted on Facebook by both NorthStar Pet Rescue and Eleventh Hour Rescue. They hoped that a new family would see the picture and step forward to give Moose a forever home. You can really see how loyal he is.
“He’s a sweet happy boy by nature,” the caption said. “He just needs people to help his heart heal.”
“Let’s mend this broken heart, together.”
People loved hearing about the story.
Many of us have experienced the pain associated with saying goodbye to a pet. It apparently is difficult when things are the other way around as well.
Nobody really knows if dogs actually grieve in the same way as humans because they aren’t able to communicate their feelings verbally. What is clear is that the death of their human companion affects them on a very personal level.
When a companion dies or goes away, people often recognize that dogs seem anxious or depressed. They might become lethargic and disinterested in everyday things.
According to the American Kennel Club, some studies show that areas of the dog’s brain light up when they feel emotions that are similar to what humans feel.
“Dogs are highly intuitive and sensitive, more than people give them credit for,” Jme Thomas, executive director of Motley Zoo Animal Rescue, told the AKC.
It can sometimes be heartbreaking to watch an animal feeling those emotions.
When Moose lost his father, he sat by the hospital bed and continued to stare out the window.
Moose went to a local pet rescue in Rockaway Township, New Jersey. A picture was posted in hopes of finding him a forever home.
“Moose sat patiently next to his dad’s hospital bed, waiting for him to return, not knowing that ‘Dad’ had passed away,” the rescue wrote on Facebook. “Moose has now been returned to our friends at Eleventh Hour Rescue and he’s taking the loss of his dad pretty hard.”
The rescue also said that he is a “sweet happy boy by nature” and “just needs people to help his heart heal.”
Moose does okay with other dogs but he especially loves people.
“So much so that Moose would do best in a home where he wasn’t left home alone all day long, he misses his people too much,” the rescue wrote.
It would be difficult to resist this sweet story and the lovable face of such a precious dog. It wasn’t long before the post went viral and was shared thousands of times. People around the world were commenting about how much they were touched by the story.
It became obvious that it wouldn’t take very long to find Moose a new home. Adoption applications began appearing quickly.
“Thanks to the power of social media, Moose has received several applications & we are hopeful he will find a forever home soon!” the rescue wrote in an update.
Three days later, Moose was in his new home.
“MOOSE HAS BEEN ADOPTED by a wonderful family who will care for and love him for the rest of his life! Thank you again to everyone who shared his story!” the rescue wrote.
Hundreds of people were already following the story and many were wishing him well.
It seems as if many people were interested in giving him a home so it’s a shame only one family was able to do so.
Some experts give advice to those who are adopting dogs that may be experiencing grief.
One of the most important things is to give them encouragement by taking part in their favorite activities. Spending quality time with humans might be just what is needed for Moose.
You also need to give them time and if they refuse to play, make sure you give them their space. It is also important not to spoil a pet if they start to exhibit some behaviors that could be problematic.
According to a study published in the Journal Animals, grieving behavior may last up to six months for pets. This is actually longer than most people would expect. It may be a while before Moose is back to his old self.
It looks like Moose has found a good home and has many years of companionship and love ahead of him.
Discussion about this post