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A Vietnam veteran died, leaving his dog homeless. His mailman took immediate action.

He stood outside the shelter before it even opened.

Photo credit: Canva

After a Vietnam vet died, his mailman stepped in to rescue his dog

Mail carriers become fixtures in the communities they serve and are often the first people to realize something is wrong when it comes to elderly community members. Sometimes mail carriers are the only people elderly community members interact with on a regular basis so it's not uncommon for them to become like extended family. Home health aids and even pets become familiar with the regular mail carrier, looking forward to daily hellos.

A North Texas mailman, Ian Burke worked the same route for two years, becoming familiar with the people that resided in the homes. During that time he got to know a wheelchair bound Vietnam veteran and is dog Floyd, who was just a puppy when Burke first met him. As life goes, things change which resulted in the mailman being assigned a new route while a college took his old one. This change lasted for about a year before Burke was delivered some unfortunate news.

dog rescue; humane society; vietnam vet; mailman saves dog; mailman rescues dogblack and white short coated medium sized dog lying on green grass during daytime Photo by Bianca Ackermann on Unsplash

The mail carrier that took over Burke's route informed him that the elderly man passed away leaving his dog all alone. He shared with his coworker that the dog was in the Denton Animal Shelter and was currently up for adoption. Burke knew exactly what he needed to do. The mailman couldn't let the dog go home with strangers so he hopped in his car first thing in the morning to stand outside of the shelter waiting for it to open.

He was going to be Floyd's new owner, there was no doubt in his mind that the dog belonged with him, but would Floyd still be there? Would the pooch still remember the mailman after a whole year of him being away? After all, they only had brief interactions each week.

"I went down to the shelter at about 10 AM is when they opened, I got there at 9:50 to make sure I was first in line. I kinda felt responsible to take care of him. I think he [the previous owner] would be pleased to know that his former mailman is taking good care of his dog," Burke tells KENS 5. "It's probably one of the best things that the postal service inadvertently issued me."

Burke is hopeful that sharing his story will encourage other people to look for dogs at their local animal shelter, though he knows his bond with Floyd is unique.

dog rescue; humane society; vietnam vet; mailman saves dog; mailman rescues dogMan shares a joyful moment with his dog in a sunny field.Photo credit: Canva

"I don't take it lightly, you know, like that this is just some random dog that I'm adopting. This is a dog that was loved and cherished by a former customer of mine," Burke explains to the outlet before recalling the first time he met Floyd, "and he got out the door and he charged at me, right, a little puppy."

Animal shelters are often overcrowded and not every animal that comes through their doors are strays. When a pet owner dies and there's no instructions or agreement in place on who will care for the animal, they can wind up in the shelter. Thankfully for Floyd, a forever home was someone that has known him since he was a puppy. The duo were able to pick right up where they left off like they were always meant to be together.

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Pets

What it’s like to adopt a dog, as told through a 14-part comic

Moscow-based comic artist Bird Born explains why adopting a dog changed his life.

Bird Born


Rescuing a pet is an amazing and heroic undertaking.

7.6 million pets go into shelters each year, according to the ASPCA. And of those pets, about 2.7 million pets are rescued by humans who give them forever homes.

Moscow-based comic artist Bird Born experienced firsthand the power of welcoming a pet into your family when he adopted a dog.

Then his journey to understand his newest animal friend inspired an adorable and incredibly moving comic, too.


Follow this artist's journey to help his new friend feel welcome in his home:

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Bird Born

Rescuing animals is a big commitment, and of course it doesn't come without challenges.

When adopting any animal, there's fear and uncertainty about their past life. Were they abused? Were they malnourished? How will they respond to humans?

Despite this, Born persevered with his new dog. "It took a lot of love and care to prove this animal that she was loved and needed," he writes in his comic.

Today, he can rest easy knowing one less dog is in need. And that's proof enough that adopting a dog can make the world a better place.


This article originally appeared on 08.23.16.

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Joy

Animal shelter celebrates being empty for the first time in nearly 50 years

The silence coming from a Pennsylvania animal shelter during this holiday week is being hailed "a true miracle."

Adams Count SPCA/ Facebook

So many animals spent Christmas in loving homes.

For the first time in 47 years, the Adams County SPCA met the holidays with silence. Not a creature was stirring—not even a mouse.

Because this year, every kennel was empty. All the animals had either been adopted or reunited with families, thanks to what the organization called a “true Christmas miracle.”

To celebrate, the Adams County SPCA shared a photo of its employees and volunteers smiling alongside all the empty kennels, and thanked the community for its continued support.

“This year we have adopted out 598 animals and reunited 125 strays with their owners! WOW! It has been a busy year!” the post read.

This miracle comes despite the shelter “discouraging” potential pet owners from adopting pets during Christmastime, as there is a long-standing belief that animals adopted during this season as gifts are more likely to be returned weeks later. (TODAY)

While this belief is certainly warranted (there are plenty of tragic stories of Christmas pets being returned once the novelty wears off), studies show that might not necessarily be the case. In fact, a lot of research has found the opposite—that animals given as gifts are far less likely to be returned to shelters.

And to add to that optimism, several people responded to the Adams County SPCA’s post with pictures of their own fur babies adopted from the organization, showing them in happy, healthy homes.

"Happy Jack who was named Briscoe, is excited to hear the great news!"

"Toulouse (adopted 16 years ago) says Meowy Christmas and congratulations"

"Harper was adopted 4 years ago from Adams County SPCA. So grateful for all you do. Merry Christmas!"

The shelter also regularly adds “happy tails” of adopted animals living their best lives, including Bootsie the cat, adopted in November.

As Bootsie's new parents can attest, the sweet feline is “adored” by all, but has been a “game changer” for their autistic daughter, hope.

"Hope cuddles Bootsie when she’s upset instead of having full blown meltdowns, cuddles him and practices her verbal expressions of compassion, love and affection. Thank you so much for all you do!" their post read.

So maybe, just maybe, we can really believe this was a well deserved miracle after all.

But still, the work continues. As the organization explained in a subsequent post on Dec 26th, other overwhelmed shelters in the state have reached out in need of support. Right now resident owner surrenders still take priority, but they are branching out to surrounding counties when able.

In their words: “We are going to do the best we can to help as many animals and people [as] we can.”

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Joy

Utah pets can now be safely cared for while their owners get the help they need at rehab

These good boys deserve all of the head scratches while they wait for their humans!

Photo by Eric Ward on Unsplash

Pets are now safe while owners are at rehab.

Sometimes pets are what keeps people struggling with addiction and other mental health issues going. Pets provide a level of responsibility outside of yourself and they thrive on routine. For example, if you have trouble waking up in the morning, don’t just set your alarm, start feeding your animal at the time you’d like to wake up. After a week or so of this new and rewarding habit for your pet, they will be sure to remind you it’s feeding time. By simply existing, pets can give their owners purpose on top of all of the great mental health benefits. It’s no wonder that pets can also be the reason people don’t seek out treatment for substance use issues, especially if it requires a lengthy stay away from home. But now, people in Utah struggling with addiction no longer have to choose between their sobriety and their pet.

Some people that find themselves addicted to drugs or alcohol can become isolated from healthy relationships with their friends and family. Being isolated makes it difficult to find someone trustworthy to care for your pets while you’re caring for yourself. As one could imagine, if the social network is depleted and if the only people available to help with pets are other people struggling with addiction, it makes sense to them to prioritize their pet's safety over seeking treatment. When you’re deep in the throes of addiction, clinging to the one thing that is holding you together most days is understandable.

Ruff Haven Crisis Sheltering typically offers free short-term housing for pets while their owners are going through a difficult time like domestic violence or homelessness. It recently partnered with Odyssey House, Utah’s largest comprehensive addiction program, which offers residential programs for teens and adults. The nonprofit also offers sober housing and a program designed for single parents. With Ruff Haven Crisis Sheltering working hand in hand with Odyssey House, potential clients can rest assured their animals will be cared for during their time in treatment.

The animal crisis shelter can keep the animals for up to three months of free boarding while the pet’s owner is receiving treatment. Ruff Haven’s foster coordinator, Beth Henry, told The Salt Lake Tribune, “This is really person-based, like person-led.” Henry explained that the animals are kept safe in a foster home until the owner completes treatment and reaches a place of safety and stability. Before the pet is placed in a foster home, the owner must complete an application, which includes the owner’s current situation. Once the application is complete, the animal is assessed regarding its general condition including vaccinations and if it's fixed or scheduled to be. After all criteria is met, the pet is matched with a foster and the client can check in on their pet once a week via text. This includes foster parents sending pictures and videos to the owner to help ease their minds while they focus on getting clean.

Photo by Sasha Matveeva on Unsplash

Some animals are even able to get visitation with their humans at the Dogs All Day facility, where the owner can schedule some much-needed cuddles with their pooch. Ruff Haven’s Executive Director Kristina Pulsipher told the paper, “A lot of times [owners] worry that they’re gonna forget them during that period — the pets never forget their person. The reunions are why we do this. And we have many people who have been clients that volunteer with us now, or foster for us.”

This program is such a compassionate solution to a difficult situation and will hopefully catch on in other states. It's so important for people to be able to get the help they need without worrying about abandoning their pets. Since Ruff Haven opened in June 2020, it has already helped around 500 animals and 320 families.

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