The pooch lost his nose after being attacked by other strays, but has now been settled in a new home.
(Sharon and Norman Carlos)
An abandoned dog with no nose has been adopted by a loving home in Orlando after spending Christmas in a shelter.
Sharon and Norman Carlos adopted Sniffles from Poodle and Pooch Rescue (PPR) in Florida and he has been with them for almost two weeks.
Michele Wacker, medical director for PPR, said: “We adopted him to Sharon and Norman. They recently euthanised their dog and wanted to make another dog’s dream come true. They understand that older and special needs dogs are the ones that have the hardest time finding a home so when they applied to adopt Sniffles, we found them to be perfect for him.
“In a couple weeks they will be meeting another special needs dog to adopt so that Sniffles can have a brother or a sister to share all this love. Sniffles and his new pal have a wonderful adventure to look forward to, enjoying an amazing new life.”
(Sharon and Norman Carlos)
Sniffles went to the US for treatment after losing his nose in an attack by other strays in Puerto Rico.
The shelter’s campaign to find Sniffles a home when he was taken in just before Christmas saw more than 300 potential owners come forward from across the States.
Sharon said: “We had sponsored Sniffles when he first appeared on Poodle and Pooch Rescue’s website in mid December. Our last dog Maggie was becoming very ill and we lost her at the end of December. It left a huge hole in our hearts and home. We decided shortly after that we would adopt another dog.
“We fell in love with him right away at the first meeting. We felt very humbled and blessed that they gave us the opportunity to give him a forever home.
“Rescued dogs are so full of love and so grateful for a second chance. Sniffles’ story was so tragic that it really touched us, as it has so many other people. Everyone who meets him falls in love with him. We feel privileged to be able to be Sniffles’ parents.”
(Sharon and Norman Carlos)
Sniffles, thought to be around 12 years old, also suffers from a host of other conditions, including parasites, serious dental issues and a growth from his eyeball.
Staff at the shelter said he was “shy, scared and confused” when they took him in, but is settling in well at his new home.
Sharon said: “He is doing very well. We are seeing more and more of his personality as each day passes. He is a very pleasant dog and a joy to be around.”
PPR takes in between 500 and 600 sick or wounded dogs each year and tries to find them new homes.