Tears As Owners Drive 1400 Miles to Reunite Deaf Dog With Her Daughter
When one couple noticed how connected their rescue dog became to their baby, they could tell she was destined to be a mom, so they traveled the country to reunite her with one of her long-lost puppies.
James Coburn and his wife, Leah, of Massachusetts, welcomed their daughter Chloe last year, and their two rescue dogs instantly accepted her. Poundcake, 4, and Milkshake, 5, are both deaf and endured horrifying experiences before finding their forever home.
Both pups are incredibly well behaved around Chloe, as James told Newsweek that the dogs have "taken on protector roles from day one." Milkshake, an American pit bull terrier, is especially protective as she never leaves the baby's side. Whether Chloe is asleep, in the bath, or being nursed—Milkshake will undoubtedly be nearby.
Milkshake the pit bull terrier meets her puppy Sage (pink neckerchief) in a dog park.
Milkshake the pit bull terrier meets her puppy Sage (pink neckerchief) in a dog park.
@make.life.happen / Instagram
"Milkshake is the nanny dog of the two and Leah and I feel so thankful to have our little family," James said. "From the start of our rescue journey, bringing a dog into our world back in 2021 has been a beautiful experience that has brought so much love and purpose into our lives."
When they adopted Milkshake, the Coburns were told that it was likely she'd had a litter of puppies because of the condition her body was in. But after seeing how she nurturing she is around Chloe, it was clear that she "never stopped being a mother."
The couple started to wonder where Milkshake's puppies are now, and they couldn't resist trying to track them down through a DNA database.
"We did a doggy DNA test to find out what breeds our dogs are, and those tests also show any relatives of the dog who have also taken the same DNA test. We couldn't believe it when we got the 51 percent DNA match for Milkshake's daughter; it was amazing, and we instantly wanted to know more," James continued.
Leah contacted the puppy's family and learned that Milkshake's pup is a 3-year-old girl named Sage.
After connecting with Sage's owners, James and Leah drove 1,400 miles to meet them in person and to reunite Milkshake with her daughter.
James said: "It was a beautiful day, and we met in a huge park to introduce the pups. Sage was nervous at first, but after a few minutes, she matched Milkshake's energy, and the two of them were playing nearly the entire time.
"While we can't say for sure that Milkshake remembered or knew who it was, she certainly was excited from the moment they met. Milkshake doesn't react that way with all dogs when she first meets them, but she seemed so happy and kept wanting to play. Her tail was wagging like crazy, and we were so happy to see it," he continued.
James said he is hopeful this won't be the last time Milkshake and Sage see each other, as the owners plan on arranging more playdates in the future. James is incredibly thankful for Sage's owners agreeing to let the dogs meet up and is glad to know she is in a loving home.
Just like Milkshake, Sage was dumped in Georgia and left to fend for herself before being rescued. There were also two boys in the litter, whom James hopes to reunite Milkshake with one day.
He told Newsweek: "We will never know for sure if these dogs knew what was happening, but we know they are living souls; and for the love they give to us, bringing them moments of joy and doing something special is the least we can do."
James shared the video of Milkshake meeting Sage on Instagram and TikTok (@make.life.happen) and it has melted hearts. In just a matter of days, the post has generated over 2 million views on Instagram and more than 670,800 views on TikTok at the time of writing.
While the likes of Poundcake, Milkshake, and Sage all had rough starts to life, James said he hopes to show the importance of rescuing and adoption. It can transform an animal's life, and he says it allows them to write their own happy ending instead.
"Everyone wants to know if they will see each other again and they will, but we hope what people really take from this story is that we have the chance to help millions of animals in shelters waiting for their chance at a beautiful life," James said.
He continued: "Never take adoption lightly, it's a lifelong commitment, but the love and joy you will get in return when you put in the time and effort is beautiful. In the end, they rescue us, not the other way around."
Internet users praised both sets of owners for letting Milkshake and Sage reignite their mother-daughter bond. This has led to more than 1,700 comments on the TikTok post so far.
One comment reads: "You are just the best doggy parents in the world, bless your hearts."
Another TikTok user wrote: "what an AMAZING gift for Milkshake. I hope she can see more of her babies."
A third person replied: "What you did for this momma is everything! Awesome fur parents!"
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