We sometimes hear about stories with a fairytale ending but I think that this one qualifies more than most. A man who was born deaf adopted a puppy who is also deaf.
WABI-5 reported that Nick Abbott, 31 said he saw Emerson on a Facebook post from NFR, Maine, a dog rescue.
“I said, ‘Oh, he’s deaf, too,’” Abbott told the TV station. “Maybe I can go check him out to see what he’s all about.”
Emerson was only six weeks old when he was rescued from Florida. He had the K-9 Pappa virus infection and was experiencing seizures. The K-9 Pappa virus affects dogs and if untreated, it can be fatal.
“Once we got him home from the vet’s office from Florida, we realized he had hearing difficulties,” Lindsay Powers with NFR Maine told Good Morning America on Tuesday. “He had such a rough start to life.”
It didn’t take long for Emerson’s siblings to get adopted but ‘our sweet boy Emerson’ was still looking for a home according to the Facebook post by the dog rescue.
“He wants everyone to know that even though he may be deaf, he is still an AMAZING little pup with SOO much love to give!”
Abbott visited Emerson and the dog came right up to him and sat at his feet according to WABI-5.
“He kind of picked me. And I knew right then and there that we would get along and understand each other pretty good,” he said.
Since that time, Emerson has been taught sign language commands by Abbott.
Making the S is to ‘sit’ and the command for ‘lie down’ is a sweeping hand motion across the chest.
“If Nick reaches up and shakes his ear lobe, Emerson will bark – it’s so cute,” Abbott’s mom, Richelle, told Good Morning America.
“The bond that we have is awesome,” Abbott told WABI-5. “We understand each other very well. I’d like to think it was meant to be. He’s special.”
