Chỉ mới sáu tuần tuổi, cuộc sống đã rất khó khăn đối với cậu bé Emerson. Anh ta được giải cứu khỏi một nơi trú ẩn ở Florida, nơi anh ta được chuyển đến Maine. con bị nhiễm trùng được gọi là parvovirus chó có thể đe dọa tính mạng chó nếu không được điều trị. May mắn thay, Emerson đã vượt qua. Nhưng đó mới chỉ là khởi đầu cho cuộc hành trình của anh.
“Chúng tôi không chắc liệu Emerson bị điếc bẩm sinh và khiếm thị hay đó là kết quả của các cơn động kinh, nhưng những gì chúng tôi biết là không ai trong số đó làm phiền anh ấy một chút nào.” Nơi trú ẩn cho biết trong một trong những bài đăng trên Facebook của họ.
According to the same Facebook post, Emerson was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” which made Emerson more confused because his siblings were adopted right of the bat. They wrote adoption advertisements for Emerson. They convinced people that just because he was different does it mean that he can’t be a loyal companion.
“My foster mom thinks that’s because people see that I’m deaf, and that makes people nervous but she wants everyone to know that being deaf is the LEAST of my worries!” said one Facebook post. “What IS known is that a lack of being able to hear doesn’t keep me down! I’m a happy-go-lucky little dude, at least that’s what my foster mom says! I love everyone and everything!” the post continued.
Weeks later, the shelter received an application from a person named Nick Abbott. Seeing the dog’s challenges, Abbott can’t help but feel some sort of connection. After all, they were both deaf. “I said- Oh, he’s deaf too,” explains Abbott to WABI. “Maybe I can go check him out to see what he’s all about.”
“He came straight to me at the door and sat right away at my feet and stayed there,” says Abbott to the news outlet. “So you can tell he kind of picked me. And I knew right then and there that we would get along and understand each other pretty good.”
While their voices are quiet, their connection was loud for everyone else to see and feel. Abbott communicated with Emerson after teaching him visual commands. What is known as the “sit” command for us became the “s” sign for Emerson. And “lie down” for us meant sweeping Abbott’s hand across in a straight line.
It is through his disabilities that Emerson is able to find a home that will love him. Their unique connection became the foundation of a beautiful friendship between man and beast.