You may remember that an explosion rocked several Baltimore homes back in October. Several people tragically lost their lives in the blast. Among the many victims were a man and his dog, Barak, who narrowly escaped death.
The man, who remains unidentified, was rushed to the hospital suffering from severe burns across much of his body. As EMTs loaded him onto the stretcher and proceeded to transport him to the hospital, there was only one thing on his mind: Barak. The burn victim pleaded and begged the ambulance crew to please not let anything happen to his dog. Despite the pain he was in, all he was worried about was not losing his best friend.
One Shelter Stepped In To Make A Difference
Even once he made it to the hospital, the man continued to express his concerns to the hospital staff. He begged for Barak to be saved and returned to him. Just a few days later, Barak arrived at BARCS Animal Shelter. Shelter staff learned that Barak’s dad would be in the hospital for at least a month, which would normally not be good news for a dog in their care.
The BARCS Animal Shelter saves an average of 30 dogs each day – or 10,000 every year! With that many little lives to save, dogs are quickly adopted to loving families. However, because of COVID-19, BARCS made some changes to their foster program, which turned out to be excellent for sweet Barak.
“A few days after Barak arrived at our shelter, we learned that his dad’s expected time in the hospital was at least a month. Up until recently, guaranteeing a month-long hold or longer—even for an emergency—wasn’t always easy or even possible. BARCS is an open admission shelter and the looming threat of running out of kennel space has always plagued our organization,” BARCS wrote on their Facebook page.
“However, the COVID pandemic brought a huge expansion of our foster program, opening ample space in our shelter to help more pet owners in crisis. Even though Barak’s return date to his dad was unknown, we made the pledge to care for him for as long as needed. Barak wasn’t a candidate for foster, but at the shelter, he had a daily plan of long walks, playgroup romps, in-kennel enrichment, training sessions, and cuddle time thanks to our dedicated volunteers and staff.”
A Series Of Miracles Gave Barak And His Dad The Happy Ending They Hoped For
Barak’s dad was in a medically-induced coma for the last four months as doctors and nurses worked around the clock to save his life. This week, however, came the best moment of all. Barak and his dad were finally reunited.
With visible burn scars on his hands, Barak’s dad clung to his beloved best friend. The two shared a hug and plenty of kisses! While Barak’s dad survived thanks to the care and compassion from the hospital staff, we’re sure that Barak’s love also played an important role in his recovery.
Barak and his dad have now found a new, dog-friendly home where they can enjoy their new lease on life together. Welcome home!
h/t: BARCS.org
Toledo, United States.
