Puppy acts as personal guide dog for his blind, deaf sister

Despite her disabilities, a deaf and blind puppy named Star has never felt alone since she came into this world. That’s because her sibling, Denver, has appointed himself as her personal guide dog!

Star and Denver belong to a litter of eight puppies, but the two of them share a bond that is unlike anything their carers have ever witnessed.

They were abandoned with their mother in rural Louisiana earlier this month. A kind family found them and decided to keep the mom. The pups, on the other hand, were brought to the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

As the staff monitored the group, they noticed that Star was acting differently. The rest of her siblings “frolicked” around the animal center and did what any energetic puppy usually does, but Star wasn’t behaving the same way.

That’s when they realized that the 3-month-old terrier blend had special needs – she was deaf and nearly blind.

Employees also observed that one of her siblings, Denver, rarely left her side. It seemed like the pup knew of his sister’s condition and took it upon himself to look after her.

He not only acted as Star’s loyal playmate; he also became her personal guide dog. Denver had Star’s back as she slowly learned how to use her other senses to navigate her surroundings.

Dora Dahlke, manager of adoption services at Helen Woodward, spoke about the touching story of sibling love in a press release.

“It’s really extraordinary. We never stop learning from animals,” she said.

The pair is now inseparable, according to their caretakers. They are rarely apart, and on the occasions they are, Denver quickly rushes to his sister’s side to “let her know he was there.” The siblings are available for adoption together today.

Whoever is lucky enough to gain ownership of Star and Denver will have to undergo training from a local expert on how to raise a puppy with disabilities. As usual, Denver will be there together with their forever family to support and guide Star.

“These two really can teach us all a thing or two about sibling love and how much we can achieve with the love of a good friend,” Dahlke said.

We hope that Denver and Star end up with a family who will love them and care for them – just like how they care for each other.

Watch the video below to witness Star and Denver’s special relationship.

If you believe that Star and Denver will be the perfect addition to your family, visit animalcenter.org or call 858-756-4117. If you can’t adopt, you can donate to help the organization care for more animals with special needs.