This Sweet Friendship Between 2 Puppies With Disabilities Is Stealing Hearts Left And Right
What could possibly be cuter than one playful little puppy? Two playful little puppies — especially when they're wrestling together in the most adorable fashion. In a TikTok video that's been viewed more than 538,000 times, Walter the English bulldog and Matilda the miniature dachshund roll around on a fleece blanket, completely distracting their foster mother from the dinner she's supposed to be cooking.
@crurescue Forget dinner they are too cute!!! Walter throwing his 1 lb of badass around 🤣
"Of course I'm getting absolutely nothing done because I'm just taking videos of them," she says in the voiceover. "It's a good thing my family doesn't expect much from me as far as dinner goes because this is all I do." Walter and Matilda are just two of the precious pups being cared for by the Cleft Rescue Unit in Rochester, New York. This nonprofit cares for dogs with cleft palates, craniofacial conditions, and other special needs, aiming to pair each puppy with a child who has a similar condition.
Viewers of the video agree that this cutie-pie duo would be a constant obstruction to getting any work done because the pair is far more compelling than any household chores could be. "No dinners in your house but platefuls of cuteness and tiny babies! Thank you 💕," one viewer writes. "It would be a takeaway every night, with these beautiful puppies 🐶 😍 ❤," another adds. Several mention how sweet and cute these tiny BFFs are. The furry pals don't let their disabilities get in the way of making friends and having fun.
Caring for the needs of dogs with special disabilities
On the day Matilda was born, her stressed-out puppy-mill mother chewed off the newborn's legs, leaving the puppy with one full leg, one partial leg, and two small nubs. Matilda has been living with the Cleft Rescue Unit ever since. She moves where she wants to go by rolling on the floor, and she has been learning to use a wheelchair.
Walter arrived at the charity when he was four weeks old with leg deformities and swimmer puppy syndrome, a condition that causes weak limb muscles. Many puppies with this rare syndrome cannot stand or walk, but Walter has been learning to get around. Adopting a pet with special needs takes patience, resilience, and a willingness to try whatever is necessary for the good of the animal, but the experience can be incredibly rewarding emotionally. A loving pair like Walter and Matilda can be doubly rewarding.
Looking for more heartwarming stories about animals overcoming the odds? Check out this blind rescue dog who has a genius trick to get treats, this shelter dog who adopted a litter of orphaned puppies, and this rescue dog who was found with her head stuck in a jar but now has a new family.