The bond between animals can be mysterious. It is also absolutely heartwarming when the bond withstands the tragedies of life.
A Good Samaritan was shocked when they stumbled upon 2 bonded souls in need of saving.
It was at the Hampton Soccer Park in Hampton, Virginia where they discovered the pair. The fur-babies were cramming themselves between two portable toilets.
And what an unlikely pair they were!
Photo: Facebook @Saver of Souls Pet Rescue
A small Chihuahua was bravely protecting a young black kitten in the tight space.
The animal lover had no idea where the two had come from or if they had been abandoned at the location. Regardless, they knew they had to help the duo!
They posted on a local private social network called Nextdoor. In the hopes of locating owners had the 2 simply escaped, the post eventually found its way onto the Facebook animal group, Lost & Found Pets of Hampton Roads, VA.
When Angela Davis Ward saw the post, she and her daughter rushed to the site to lend a hand.
The poor animals were very scared and did not understand the attention they were getting. Three people were blocking their escape routes so they wouldn’t find more danger.
Protecting the kitten at all costs, the dog would bark and growl if they attempted to approach.
During the time the humanitarians were trying to calm the scared fur-babies down, Animal Control was on their way to the site.
Photo: The Dodo
By the time A.C. arrived, the pup had realized they were not in danger and officers were able to grab the dog without using a catch pole. Always a better sign when you can get close enough to the animal to scruff them.
The kitten seemed to have some skin issues and both were off to the vet for a full checkup.
Sadly, their story wasn’t guaranteed to end happily in the care of the county.
Being a dog/cat bonded pair, there was almost no chance they’d be housed together at Animal Control. They are also unable to enforce animals be adopted together.
Photo: The Dodo
At the shelter, no owners came forward to claim their lost pets and they were not fixed or micro-chipped.
The 2-year-old Chihuahua and 10-month-old kitten seemed to have been abandoned or strays that found comfort in each other.
Knowing this, local rescue group, Saver of Souls Pet Rescue, stepped in.
Turkan Ertugrul, director at the shelter, had seen the original post. She had tossed and turned all night waiting for an update on the pair.
As soon as she received word the two were unclaimed, she quickly brought them into the rescues foster care. This way they could demand the bonded pair be adopted into their fur-ever home TOGETHER!
Feeling festive and in the Halloween mood, they named the male Chihuahua, Gomez and the female black cat, Morticia.
Now the pair are happily living in foster care until they can be spayed/neutered. They will then be put up for adoption.
Attracting the attention of the world in a recent article, Ertugrul gave The Dodo a happy update.
“Gomez ran up to the foster’s black cats initially, thinking one was Morticia and you could see his disappointment when he realized it wasn’t her.”
“Gomez is shy around people when he first meets them, but warms up quickly. He really opens up when Morticia is around,” Ertugrul added. “They are both happier and more outgoing when together than when they meet people individually.””
Keeping and adopting the bonded pair together isn’t just because they are adorable.
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There can be serious behavioral and psychological repercussions to separating them.
The Kentucky Humane Society explains why organizations stand by the pairs instead of separating them.
“This is always a difficult decision because paired animals tend to have a significantly longer length of stay in a shelter setting. However, separating a strongly bonded pair can lead to serious problems.”
“Bonded animals who are separated may demonstrate anxiety by pacing, whining, destructive behavior, loss of appetite, and generally shutting down and becoming non-interactive with people and other animals. They grieve the loss of their friend and sometimes cannot get out of that grief cycle.”
Now that you’ve fallen head over paws for this darling duo, if you are in the Virginia Beach area please reach out to the shelter for adoption inquiries.
Photo: Facebook @Saver of Souls Pet Rescue
