A video showing a blind, elderly dog frolicking in the snow is going viral this week, and it’s sure to bring a smile to your face.
Smiley is a golden retriever who was born with no eyes, and he sadly spent the first two years of his life in a puppy mill waiting to be euthanized. He was born with many physical issues including dwarfism, so it was assumed that nobody would want to adopt him. That all changed when he met veterinarian named Joanne George, who changed his life forever.
Joanne had been sent to the puppy mill in Canada to euthanize twenty of the 85 dogs who were living there. She was so horrified by the terrible conditions there that she could not fulfill her mission, however, and she resolved to do something to help the dogs instead. Joanne adopted all 20 of the dogs she had been sent in to euthanize and she found homes for all of them, except for Smiley.
“I just thought, ‘He’s mine,’” she said.
Joanne took Smiley home with her to Stouffville, Ontario, and he quickly proved himself to be an incredibly friendly dog. Joanne had him trained to be a therapy dog, and he spent years visiting schools, hospitals, and nursing homes to spread his love.
Glad to meet Smiley, the Ontario therapy dog who teaches kids about bullying & acceptance. My thanks to St. John Ambulance for the visit. pic.twitter.com/1Xvl9QudM0
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 1, 2016
Smiley continued to spread his love until he passed away at the age of 15 from cancer. Just before his death, Joanne recorded a video of an elderly Smiley frolicking in the snow. Even though he was blind and nearly deaf from old age, something about the cold air made him act like a little puppy again.
In the video, Joanne guides Smiley through the path of snow with her voice, and he moves towards her with a huge smile on his face. He really did love life!
“He does something to people,” Joanne explained. “People say they feel like a different person after meeting Smiley.”
We would all do well to be a little more like Smiley. Check out the video for yourself below.
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