#27. Unlikely Friends
It is heartbreaking to hear this, but hundreds of dogs are abandoned by their owners in shelters all over the world every day. In October 2014, an unlikely pair was dropped off at an animal shelter in San Francisco, California, by an unidentified person.
The dogs were Merrill, a pit bull terrier, and Taco, a male chihuahua. It is not known why they were abandoned, but there really isn't an excuse. The special thing about this story is that these two dogs just could not spend even a second apart, and here's why.
#26. Two Halves Of A Whole
Nothing was known about the past of these dogs, nor about their ex-owner who decided to put them in the shelter, but the shelter volunteers knew one thing: these two were inseparable. Merrill and her pea-sized BFF would cry if separated, and would spend most of their time cuddling and napping, much like cats usually do.
People either expressed interest in one dog or the other, but the shelter knew they just couldn't be adopted by separate families. So, they decided to start a campaign on their Facebook page to find someone who would take the two inseparable puppies with the help of an organization called Rocket Dog Rescue.
#25. A Tragic Discovery
When Merrill was examined by the veterinarians, they made a very sad discovery. She was in very bad shape and had a serious urinary tract infection that needed attention ASAP. This led them to realize that she had been used for breeding.
They also believed that her previous owner abandoned her because her urinary tract infection would stop her from breeding. This infection had gotten so bad that Merrill had to undergo surgery, which put her life at serious risk. Vets wasted no time and took her to surgery, and what happened afterwards left them in awe.
#24. The Surgery
Merrill had to be taken in for surgery, which left her teeny tiny friend Taco all by himself. The chihuahua, who was eight years old, was shivering with anxiety the whole time. It was as if he knew that Merrill was going through something tough and he wanted to be there with her to comfort and support her.
Right after Merrill regained consciousness, she started wailing. Doctors thought it might be from the pain, so they gave her some pain killers, yet she continued to cry. Then, they realized she was crying for Taco. They just couldn't keep the two best friends apart, so they decided to do something about it.
#23. The Recovery
Thankfully, the surgery was a success, and Merrill now needed to rest and recover. The people from the shelter knew exactly what to do and brought Taco into the recovery room as soon as they could. Then, he quickly went to Merrill's side, and the two snuggled for hours.
While it was extremely sweet to see these two together, the veterinarians worried that, should anything happened to one of the dogs or should they be adopted by different families, they would both be unable to take it. This unbreakable friendship could actually be harmful to them, and so this raised several concerns.
#22. A Few Concerns
People don't usually adopt two dogs at once because it is a huge responsibility and a big expense. Even though they had plenty of experience handling adoptions, this was going to be a real challenge. They couldn't accept an outcome where these two were separated, so they really needed to find someone who would take both of them in.
Because of the unique bond they had, the two needed to stay together. Another obstacle they had to make this happen, however, was that Taco, at eight years old, was a senior dog. As sad as it is, it is a well-known fact that senior dogs are the least likely to be adopted, because people usually go for puppies or young dogs.
#21. Could It Be?
Many people showed interest in Merrill because she was a beautiful young dog, and after her surgery, she was very healthy. However, nobody showed interest in poor Taco, which was not good for the shelter's plan. People who would lose interest in Merrill once they heard about Taco.
Then one day, someone showed up at the shelter, and he instantly fell in love with Merrill. At this point, however, he had no idea about Taco, and he wanted to take Merrill home right away and to sign all the papers right then and there. The shelter agreed, and the man went to get Merrill out of her cage when something happened.
#20. What To Do?
As soon as the man opened Merrill's cage and let her out, not only did she start crying, but the man could also hear a small cry coming from inside the cage: it was little Taco, who was shivering and wailing, as if he knew that someone was taking Merrill away from him.
The man had already signed the paperwork and everything when he had to talk to the volunteers again, who tried to explain to him the situation between Merrill and her inseparable little friend, Taco. Would he agree to take him home too?
#19. Inseparable
The man was moved by the story of the two dogs and really wanted to take them both home. He told the shelter that he would go home, think about it, and give them a call. Now it was time for Merrill and Taco to wait and see if they would finally have a home together.
Unfortunately, the man called the shelter and let them know that he wasn't able to take both dogs because it would be too much of a responsibility. He took another dog who also desperately needed a home, and Merrill and Taco went back to square one. What could the shelter do for the inseparable duo?
#18. A Change Of Strategy
Clearly, what they had been doing so far wasn't working. The shelter needed to step up their game and figure out a way to get these two a home because they had already been there for way too long. Their first step was to list them together on Facebook instead of separately as they had been doing all along.
The post read as follows: > “These two love each other more than any bonded pair the shelter has ever seen. They cry when they leave each other’s side. This dynamic duo has lost their family, their home, and now we can’t let them lose each other!”
#17. Going Viral?
This odd couple quickly grabbed the attention of Facebook users, and their pictures started being shared all over the social network. The shelter took advantage and uploaded more pictures of the dynamic duo, and they were a hit. Hopefully, seeing their bond would make someone want to adopt them.
This photo in particular got a lot of attention, as it is just adorable how Taco is wedged between Merrill's legs. The two furry best friends were clearly closer than any other, and it looked like they shared a body. This picture made them semi-famous in the internet world, and their story slowly but surely became known, which helped them in their quest.
#16. Canine Influencers
The rescue center could not believe how quickly their posts about the dogs were being shared. This picture alone received over 1,000 comments, 14,000 likes, and was shared a whopping 26,182 times after being up only for a few days. They clearly did the right thing keeping them united instead of putting them up for adoption separately.
The more people saw their posts, the more chances they would find a forever family, and sure enough, many people left comments showing interest in adopting the dogs. But, could these comments be taken seriously? Would these people actually do everything it takes to take the inseparable duo home?
#15. Closer To Their Goal
Merrill and Taco had been in the shelter for many months now, and they were beginning to lose their motivation. Sure, the shelter gave them everything they needed, except the love of a family. A volunteer realized this and decided to foster them in her home until an adoptive family would show up.
The volunteer took good care of them while the shelter was trying really hard to find them a home. One day, a family wrote them on Facebook expressing interest in adopting both dogs together. The shelter thought their prayers had finally been answered and they just hoped this would not be another disappointing false alarm.
#14. A Dream Come True
Although it seemed too good to be true, it was in fact true: the family wanted to adopt the two dogs together right away. They met the dogs, and they all instantly connected. The chemistry was real, and the family couldn't wait to make Merrill a Taco a part of their already big family. Their journey, however, wasn't done.
Although Merrill was now perfectly healthy, Taco wasn't. Due to his age, he developed certain problems that many senior dogs get, such as dental disease and asthma. He only had four teeth left, which made his tongue flop out of his tiny mouth because his previous owner never took care of this issue.
#13. Health Issues
The inseparable duo finally arrived at their new home and everything was just amazing. Both dogs adapted perfectly to the home, and all family members were more than happy to have them there. However, slowly but surely, Taco's health issues became more and more of a concern, and something needed to be done.
A month after moving in with his new family, Taco was taken to the vet to get checked, and the vet gave the family some distressing news: things were worse than they originally thought. It wasn't just his teeth and his lungs, and now Taco was suffering from heart problems. Vets needed to act, and they needed to act fast.
#12. Getting Help
Taco's family was terrified and fearing the worst. After many tests, they discovered that the reason for his heart failure was that it was enlarged and that there was liquid around his lungs. Something needed to be done as soon as possible or his heart might fail, so they quickly took him to a specialist.
The family scheduled a visit to the heart specialist and tried to keep calm while waiting for the day to come. Unfortunately, there was a big chance that things would not go well, due to his age and his delicate state. Taco's family had hope though, and waited for the specialist's verdict.
#11. Always Together
As Taco's health deteriorated more and more, Merrill became more and more vigilant of the chihuahua, and didn't leave his side all day. The two stayed together for hours, days, and weeks, and slowly, like a miracle, Taco's health began to improve. It seemed as though all the odds were against him, but the incredible bond he had with Merrill was literally saving his life.
His family took care of him, of course, but no one was as invested in Taco's recovery as Merrill. Just like he took care of her after she had her surgery, Merrill returned the favor and stood by him through thick and thin. The brave chihuahua slowly felt better and better, and the treatment he was given stabilized his heart.
#10. Fighting For His Life
Taco's visit to the specialist was finally here. At this time, his heart was completely healthy, so the family could finally breathe again. However, because of the fluid in his lungs, Taco would have to take medication for the rest of his life, because there is no cure for that issue.
The fact that Taco was extremely small never slowed him down, so he wasn't going to let his health issues stop him either. In fact, despite his health, age, and size, he always kept up with Merrill, who was so much bigger, younger, and healthier than him. Taco always followed Merrill into trouble, and the two always found an adventure to keep themselves busy.
#9. Never Apart
Now that Taco was healthy again, he and Merrill wasted no time getting into trouble. It was usually Merrill who would get involved with something, and Taco would happily follow along, and he had no problem keeping up with the pit bull's antics. They were partners in everything, but mostly in crime.
Still, Taco had his lung condition and couldn't run for long periods of time. When Merrill realized that Taco was getting tired, she slowed down because she knew he needed a break. The two couldn't speak, so it was as if they read each other's minds.
#8. Famous Again?
Since their original Facebook page with the shelter had been so successful, Taco and Merrill's family decided to create a new Facebook page for them and they quickly saw the follower count go up and up. The dogs already had their fair share of admirers, so they had a head start in the social media world.
Their family thought the best thing they could do, besides enjoying every second they got with their amazing dogs, was to share them with the world. Whenever someone had a bad day, they could just go to Merrill and Taco's page and have a smile to get on with their day. Their special bond had to be shared with everyone!
#7. Doing Everything Together
The family took turns updating their Facebook page. They decided to show the day-to-day of the inseparable duo, for example, how they snuggle together when it's cold, or how they cry whenever they are apart for even five minutes. This picture is an example of the things that the two dogs do together.
Merrill loves chasing the ball and running around in the grass, and even though he can't do the same thing, Taco loves standing by her side and watching it all happen. As long as they are together, they are good. The family also had young kids, who loved playing with the doggies.
#6. Baby Chihuahua
Even though nowadays Taco is nine years old, he still feels like a baby and hopes to be treated like one. Because of his age, his bones aren't what they used to be, and he gets tired of walking quite easily. This is no problem for his family, who loves carrying him and swaddling him in their T-shirts like the baby he is.
It is incredible to see how Merrill is very much aware of Taco's limitations. She perfectly understands that he doesn't have the energy to run around like her, nor to fight her like someone her size. When they play together, she uses minimal force, and even lets Taco win most of the time.
#5. Favorite Activities
Their favorite thing to do, aside from getting into trouble, is to cuddle. Taco likes it the most, because he needs as much rest as he can get for his health. Even though Merrill is very young and active, he never says no to a good cuddle session, and loves to just spend the whole day chilling on the couch with her tiny little friend.
They also like to cuddle with their humans, like any other dog, and they can always be found sleeping in the funniest positions. It is incredible to think that just a couple years ago, the poor dogs were sleeping in cages. Their story shows us that one must never lose hope, because things can always get better.
#4. A Long Way
Christmas time was approaching, marking almost a year since the two dogs had been adopted by their loving family. It was going to be their first Christmas ever, so their family wanted to celebrate big. They got them special Christmas outfits to show off when they went out for their daily walks.
This post, of course, was a big hit on social media, getting a few thousand likes and comments. The family still couldn't believe that so many people were invested in their journey, so they continued uploading pictures and updating fans on their lives. And soon enough, their first adoption anniversary came around.
#3. A Year Together
After a whole year together and many ups and downs with Taco's health, the family could not be more grateful to be together. Looking back, their lives had changed dramatically in the course of a year, and it had all been for the better.
In honor of the anniversary, Merrill, Taco, and their humans went back to the shelter to visit everyone and take a few pictures for their page. The rescuers could not believe how healthy and happy the dogs looked now, and they felt they did the right thing keeping them together.
#2. A New Discovery
When Merrill and Taco visited the shelter, they were surprisingly friendly with the other dogs, much more than they had ever been. The two usually kept to themselves, but now they were opening up to other dogs. Could it be that their bond had something to do with something deeper?
As they got healthier and happier, Merrill and Taco became less and less co-dependent. This meant that, even though they loved spending every second together, now they wouldn't cry if they were different rooms. Slowly, they developed healthier habits, while still of course, being completely crazy about each other.
#1. The End
Their growth was an incredible thing to witness. The two were inseparable because they had nothing but each other. Their owner mistreated them, they both had health issues, and they were both abandoned in a shelter full of strangers, and they only had each other.
Being together brought out the best in them and helped them remain hopeful that one day, things would get better. These two lovebirds are proof that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and things always fall into place.Never take your friends for granted!