At first glance, Oscar the Bluetick Coonhound might look like your average dog. But once you get to know him, you’ll quickly find out that he’s a blind rescue dog with a difficult past. Yet, he works hard to make sure his sad story doesn’t show. Despite not having eyes, he’s still one of the bravest, sweetest, and most capable dogs you’ll ever meet.
In fact, the citizens of Mobile, Alabama love Oscar so much that they treat him like a local celebrity. Their support has helped him win a special award in the Garden & Gun Magazine’s Good Dog Contest.
Who is Oscar?
Ever since Jenn Greene moved to Mobile, she’s had a passion for saving animals in need. She co-founded Delta Dogs, which is an organization that raises money to help low-income families care for their animals. She has also fostered and taken in many less fortunate animals. Not only dogs but also cats and birds.
Greene interacts with so many animals on a day to day basis, but there are some that she can’t seem to let go of. One of them was Oscar. Oscar arrived at the Monroe County Animal Shelter at only 11 weeks old. He was surrendered by a breeder because he suffered from congenital glaucoma, which caused him to be in unimaginable pain. Yet, Greene fell in love with him the second she saw his photo.
Oscar had to get both his eyes removed, but after surgery, he still had two brown spots where his eyes would be. So, from a distance, it almost looks like his eyes are still there. At first, Greene was only planning to foster him, but after a short time together, they formed an unbreakable bond. She quickly adopted him and even got him a special vest that reads, “blind dog.”
Now, everyone who meets 1-year-old Oscar instantly falls in love. So, when Greene found out about the Good Dog Contest, she knew she had to sign him up.
The Secret to Winning Over Fans
Helping Oscar get ahead in the competition was no problem. Many of the local community members already adored him, so they gladly voted for Oscar and cheered him on as much as they could. Soon, many dog lovers began sharing posts about Oscar and even creating memes about him.
“He’s nearly fearless and lives life with a joy that any of us would be lucky to experience,” said Tom Andrews, a friend of Greene’s “Better than all that, he shares that joy freely with all that he meets. You cannot walk away from an interaction with Oscar without having had your day improved.”
Oscar was even invited to an important Mobile City Council Meeting on Zoom. The mayor also wrote about Oscar in the online newsletter. As the competition went on, Greene felt confident that Oscar would beat his closest competitor: a Blue Heeler from New Jersey named Hank. In the end, Oscar received 45,238 votes while Hank only got 44,054 votes. It was a close call, but Oscar was named the Reader’s Choice Winner in the end.
Rescue Dog Becomes Inspiration to Many
While Oscar was the Reader’s Choice Winner, the magazine had to personally select the Overall Winner. They settled on a Chesapeake Bay Retriever from Texas named Dylian. While Overall Winner might sound like a better title, Oscar is overjoyed to be the fan favorite. His story has been spread far and wide, and his journey is now inspiring people around the world. Plus, he loves everyone he meets, whether they’re a human, dog, or cat.
“[Oscar] doesn’t have a mean bone in his body,” Greene said. “He doesn’t get aggression, growling, or barking. He thinks it’s a call for love.”
Oscar’s winning photo shows him climbing up a tree, which proves that this blind pup can do anything he sets his mind to. Greene says that she always tries to let him be as independent as possible. Yet, she admits that she had to help him down from the tree after he climbed up it.
This blind dog has the courage and dedication that we all aspire to have. Of course, he loves all the extra attention, but nothing is better to him than making others feel loved in return. Congratulations, Oscar! You truly deserve the Good Dog Award.
H/T: al.com
Featured Image: @aldotcom/Facebook
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