Loyal Beyond A Doubt
He knew from the moment he laid eyes on the pit bull he knew that he was in love. He went into Rocket Dog Rescue, not expecting to walk out with a dog. There was only one problem.
But when it came time for him to pick up his new companion, Merril didn't want to leave without her best friend.
Rocket Dog Rescue
Rocket Dog Rescue received a sick pit bull and older Chihuahua who didn't want to leave each other's side.
The shelter is based in San Francisco and is volunteer-based. They take care of abused and unwanted dogs and also take in dogs that are hard to adopt. THey main goal is to keep as many dogs as possible from being euthanized.
A Beautiful Bond
Merril the pit bull and Taco the Chihuahua were given to Rocket Dog Rescue as a pair. Soon they found out that the two were quite inseparable. As best friends often are.
Whenever they would be taken away from one another they would start howling and crying. They spent every waking hour together and one day the staff at the shelter understood the reason why.
A Very Serious UTI
It turns out that Merril was suffering from a severe uterine tract infection when they were given to the shelter. She underwent life saving surgery and all the while Taco was restless, concerned for his friend.
After the surgery ended and Merril got to go back to the rescue, the staff had difficulties separating her. But she had to be isolated so her wounds could heal quickly.
Taco To The Rescue
The staff couldn't believe the commitment Taco had to his sick friend. Taco howled until he was let into the recovery area to visit his friend. When he saw her he dedicated himself to nursing her while she was recovering.
Taco wouldn't leave Merril alone, but the staff thought that maybe it would ultimately be detrimental to the two friends.
Giving Him A Chance
The shelter knew all too well that dogs that develop bonds are much harder to adopt as a result. The two would find it hard to be adopted as a package deal.
So they put both dogs up separately to help them find a new home. Taco's age also didn't help him since he was well into his later years. Merril on the other hand could find a home much easier, being a young pit bul.
Getting Adopted
He knew from the moment he laid eyes on the pit bull he knew that he was in love. He filled in an application and then the day arrived for him to go pick her up.
Merril was led out to go see her prospective adopter while taco had to stay inside. He began howling wouldn't stop for anything, the man didn't know what was really going on.
Switching Tactics
The staff had no choice but to explain the situation. They told the man about the relationship between Taco and Merril. The man nodded his head in understanding. It seemed he knew what had to be done.
The man decided that he wouldn't adopt Merril, he didn't want to separate her from her lifelong companion. He adopted a different dog and went on his way. The staff knew they had to switch strategies.
Kept Together
The staff at Rocket Rescue decided that they would rather try to adopt the dogs together. They clearly couldn't be separated. And why should they?
They changed their listing to put them together and a selfless woman volunteered to foster them while they waited for their perfect home. And soon opportunity knocked on their door.
Together Forever
A family looking to adopt learned about the story of Taco and Merril and fell in love with them. They arranged to go see them and immediately decided that they would end up adopting them.
The two dogs were ecstatic to be going to their forever home together. But the happy ending everyone hoped for wasn't in sight... not yet.
Health Issues
Taco suffered from asthma and dental disease, as most senior dogs do, and he had only 4 teeth. These health issues appeared at first to be minor problems until his new family took him to the vet a month after he and Merrill were adopted.
Then the family got the news, and the outlook did not look good.
In Danger
Unless something was done soon, Taco would suffer impending heart failure. The medical evaluation had found that Taco’s heart was enlarged and there was fluid surrounding his lungs.
A specialist visit was scheduled, and he was immediately put on medication. The family braced for the worst, but tried to hope for the best.
Hoping For The Best
Despite being on medication, Taco’s owners knew that his advanced age meant he might not recover. The family gave him a fighting chance anyway, and gave him lots of love and attention. Merrill also rallied to Taco’s side and didn’t leave her best friend for a minute.
Then, incredibly, Taco’s condition seemed to begin to improve.
Little Fighter
Taco’s condition has since stabilized and his heart is no longer at risk. He has to take several medications for life, including anti-seizure drugs and steroids for his lungs.
He still has respiratory issues, but that doesn’t seem to stop the little Chihuahua from having fun with his human siblings, and his best friend Merrill.
Together Forever
Merrill loves running and rolling on the grass in the family’s yard. Being a young adult means that she is extremely energetic and active. Taco finds other ways to join in on the fun, even though he can’t quite keep up with her.
Taco carried to wherever Merrill is playing by the family’s children. Most of all, he and Merrill love spending every single day and night together and knowing that they will never be separated again.