The coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on many people’s lives and continues to do so. Wilfred Vega, a resident of South Daytona, Florida, just experienced his worst nightmare last spring in the midst of this pandemic. His mother died at the ripe age of 81.
She was admitted to the hospital, but her condition only worsened. Wilfred struggled to embrace his new reality when she died. He was unable to carry on with his life and even found it difficult to prepare for the holidays. Despite his grief, Wilfred pondered about his mother’s wishes for him. As a result, he decided to adopt a stray puppy.
Tonka, a Pit Bull, had spent more than seven months at the Orange County Animal Services facility. She was adopted twice over those months, but was returned both times for different reasons.
Tonka was taken to the shelter for the first time after his family abandoned him. During his stay at the shelter, the dog took some time to settle in. The staff, on the other hand, made every effort to make his stay as comfortable as possible until he finds his forever family.
Tonka is clearly a cute pup, according to Dianne Summers, the manager of Orange County Animal Service. He had a difficult time finding a family because he needed to be the only dog in the family. The dog also has heartworm problems, which scares away potential adopters.
When Wilfred read about Tonka’s story, he was drawn to him because he remembered how much his mother would have actually wanted him to do the right thing. Wilfred stated that he was confident in his ability to share his home with someone in need during these trying times. As a result, Wilfred drove nearly two hours to meet the puppy.
Wilfred and Tonka didn’t get the chemistry on their initial meeting as most people do when they’ve found their forever family. They didn’t appear to get along at all. Wilfred had a connection with another adoptable puppy instead of Tonka, but he knew who he came for and only wanted to leave with Tonka. Wilfred finally decided to bring Tonka home after much deliberation.
Tonka was quickly at ease when he arrived at Wilfred’s place, thanks to the toys and bed his new fur dad had provided him. The puppy was happier now, and he began to show Wilfred his kind side. He said Tonka helps him handle his grief now that they’ve started connecting, which he appreciates.
Tonka has made Wilfred more lively and happier. He went right on to say that he is now ready to decorate his Christmas tree with his dog. Bringing Tonka home is one of Wilfred’s better moves throughout the pandemic, despite the fact that they didn’t get along at first.
Source: Orange County Animal Services
