When a dog is discovered alone in the street, we often assume that they have been abandoned – because in most cases, sadly they have been.
Rescue centers take in most of their animals without ever knowing a backstory or the true extent of what that animal has been through. The main aim is to simply treat any injuries or illnesses and prepare for the animal to hopefully be adopted and get a second chance at life.
So when a rescue center in Argentina received a call from somebody claiming to have seen a stray dog wandering around by herself, the team welcomed the pup into their center with open arms. Heartbreakingly, the dog seemed incredibly down in the dumps, and shelter staff feared the worst.
But it turned out that while the pooch was pining for her old owner, her old owner was in fact pining for her too – and when staff at the rescue center posted a pic of the dog online, the pair were about the be reunited after two long years.
Pakita the black lab had been dropped off at Argentina’s Arca Animal refuge after someone spotted her roaming the streets alone, but from the minute she arrived, she was sad and depressed. Try as they might, rescue workers couldn’t encourage Pakita to cheer up, and prospective adopters always chose the younger, happier looking dogs.
“People prefer puppies,” volunteer Silvia Ferreyra told The Dodo. “So, for two years, she stayed with us.”
But little did staff know that there was someone out there who desperately wanted Pakita in their life – her owner, who was missing her dearly. The staff had been attempting to take a photo of Pakita for a good while. They wanted one that they could post on their website to draw in potential adopters, but it was tough work getting the poor dog to smile.
Pakita would often cower into a corner when the camera came out, but eventually, they managed to snap a sweet picture of her. And as soon as it was posted online, they received some surprising news!
“Immediately, we get a message from a woman saying that the dog was her son’s and that he had been looking for her!” Silvia said.
The woman’s son, Ariel Naveira, had long given up looking for Pakita. His beloved dog had escaped from his home two years ago, and after a huge search of his neighborhood, he’d accepted that he was never going to see her again. But all that was about to change.
Ariel arrived at the shelter the very next day to see if Pakita was his. It was a nervewracking moment as the pair met up, and at first Pakita was as shy and withdrawn as ever. The frightened dog cowered in the corner, But as Ariel came slowly towards her, she began to pick up his familiar scent. Suddenly, she burst out with a joy that she hadn’t experienced in many years.
“From that moment there was no doubt,” Silvia said.
Ariel reflected on the moment he laid eyes on his beloved Pakita again, saying,
“It was beautiful. I was sad to lose her, but to get her back was spectacular. There are no words to describe it.”
How amazing! We’re so glad that the pair can finally go onto have their happy ending. Watch the emotional video below.
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