An animal lover got the surprise of her life when she reunited with a dog that she had provided love and attention to before the pooch disappeared.
An animal lover got the surprise of her life when she reunited with a dog she had provided love and attention to before the pooch disappeared for years.
Jessica Cochran, a fieldworker at the Sam Simon Center, PETA’s Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters, first came across Edith, a perky and affection black chow mix, when the dog was just a pup.
“When Jes first started visiting her, the dog was a young, wriggling bundle of soft, fluffy, black fur. As the years passed, Edith’s puppy-like optimism and enthusiasm never dimmed,” PETA wrote.
Unlike many other chained dogs, Edith never became aggressive or fearful and instead greeted Cochran with love every time they met.
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Cochran cared for Edith, providing her with a doghouse, transporting her to PETA’s mobile clinic for spay surgery and giving her toys, treats, food, water and — what might matter most, affection — during more than a dozen visits over the years.
But one day in 2013 when Cochran visited the pooch, she was gone.
“Knowing the many dangers that 'backyard dogs' face — contagious diseases, heartworms, exposure, heat exhaustion, dehydration, and attacks by loose dogs or cruel people — Jes assumed the worst, that Edith was dead,” PETA wrote.
More than two years later, Cochran found herself doing a double take as she reviewed photos of dogs that volunteers had taken — and there was Edith!
Excited to see her friend was still alive, Cochran drove to the trailer in rural North Carolina that Edith now called home.
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“When the dog spotted Jes, she jumped up and down in excitement,” PETA wrote.
After learning that Edith’s owner planned to find her a new home, Cochran couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
“Now Jes is determined to make up for lost time and show Edith all the things that make life wonderful for dogs, including going for long walks and car rides, playdates at the dog park, snuggling on the couch, and getting tummy rubs every day, not just on special occasions when the PETA van shows up,” the organization wrote.
“If I could go back to 2007 and tell Edith something, I would tell her that one day she will go home with me," Cochran said.
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