The biggest dream of all puppies who spend their days in a shelter is to find a loving home and human parents who make them feel loved and cared for.

They long to experience life outside the walls of the shelter and feel what it is like to be free.

Unfortunately, older shelter dogs and dogs with special needs are perceived as less desirable and have difficulty finding homes.

Our next story is about Virgil, a sweet puppy who was born blind at a shelter in Louisiana. As he grew up a little, he began to dream of finding his happily ever after, like all of his fellow residents.

A great foster family in Ohio agreed to take Virgil in and he moved into their home. They spoiled him with love and affection, and the adorable pup thrived. He soon began the search for a forever home.

When Emmeline and her husband saw Virgil, their hearts melted and they wanted to adopt him. Since they didn’t know much about caring for blind dogs, they did a lot of research and talked to people who had blind dogs.

He was three months old when they welcomed him into their home. They were worried about him and wondered if he would adjust to their new life.

As soon as they met him, they realized they had nothing to worry about.

The same day he arrived, Virgilio fit perfectly into the family. He ran into the garden, introduced himself to his brothers, Biscotti, Carragher and Stevie, and started playing with them. His parents couldn’t believe how brave he was.

Since he arrived, Virgil wanted to do everything alone. He didn’t even let his family carry him up the stairs. He did it himself.

That was just the beginning of the delicious surprises he was about to give them.

He quickly learned where all the furniture was and moved around the house with ease. Everyone who knew Virgil was in awe of him. Some people didn’t even believe he was blind.

“…We have to remind people that he is blind because they have no idea and usually they don’t believe us and say, he must be able to see shadows or something like that. He can’t see anything at all. He was born without retinas attached, so it has always been completely black to him  ,” Emmeline said.

In addition to being an extremely intelligent puppy, he is also very affectionate with his parents. He hugs them and covers their faces with kisses, showing them how much they mean to him.

Virgil also loves his doggie brothers. When they go on a hike, Virgil leads the way.

“He thinks he needs to be up front showing our other dogs how to do it even though he can’t see what’s in front of him,”  Emmeline said.

Virgil always wears a shirt during his walks due to his grass allergy.

Their mother believes that building trust and communication helps blind dogs be happier and more confident. Virgil walks well on a leash, but he is not afraid to explore his surroundings when his parents let him off leash.

They use commands to warn you of any obstacles you may encounter in your path.

“He believes that if I choose to let him run free without the safety net of the leash, there really is nothing to fear and he explores without hesitation… Watching him explore is very rewarding for me because I know it is based on his trust in me and trust. that we developed together,”  his mother wrote on  Instagram  .

Virgil’s family is extremely grateful to have Virgil in their life. His affectionate doggo was the reason they decided to raise dogs with special needs. It was his way of giving it all back.

The wonderful pup has helped his family better understand human disability.

“There are so many people who live with various disabilities that it is simply the only life they have ever known, that it is simply their life and they are not inferior because of it. People with disabilities and dogs with disabilities can do literally anything,”  Emmeline said.

Virgil and his doggy brothers often post about their adventures on their  Instagram account  . They live the life of their dreams.

Virgil’s family loves and appreciates him more than anything else in the world.

We are thrilled that Virgil has found happiness with his forever family. We hope his story encourages more people to give special needs dogs a chance. That’s all they need.