Good NewsXander the blind therapy dog comforts victims of abuse
Xander, a 2-year-old pug, is blind. That doesn't stop him from doing what he does best: comforting those in need.
Xander works as a therapy dog in Oregon.
When Xander was just a puppy, he suffered a head injury that resulted in him having both eyes removed. At 10 months old, his original owners left him at the Klamath Animal Shelter.
Fortunately for Xander, Marcie and Rodney saw his potential. They adopted the calm, well-behaved dog and had him trained as a certified therapy dog.
"I loved him," Rodney said of meeting Xander for the first time. "Just his personality and everything, I was saying, 'I take this dog, he's going to make a fantastic therapy dog."
Xander now spends his days comforting victims of child and spousal abuse.
"It was a big day for me when I passed the Pet Partners Therapy Dog test and became a Certified Therapy Dog!" Xander "wrote" on his website. "I am the only four-footed member of the Hospital Guild and I'm always on call for visits! I love to spend time with anyone who needs companionship, comfort or may be feeling lonely. I also help kids who are afraid of dogs overcome their fear, and often accompany the Hands and Words are Not for Hurting® group on school programs and other outings. I was featured on the front page of the Herald and News, and received national recognition for bringing empathy and happiness to people for whom such things are in short supply. I can clearly see that unconditional love and kindness matter."
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"A lot of times he’ll hear a child crying at an event and he's bolted several times, at least 500 feet over to this child to comfort them," Rodney told Buzzfeed of Xander's compassionate instincts.
Last spring, Rodney told the Herald and News that, in an ideal world, Xander would be out of a job.
"It would be great if Xander didn’t have a job," he said. "There would be no hurting kids out there. If Xander didn't have a job that would be wonderful. He would just play all the time."
According to the pug's Facebook page, "Xander's mission is to stop violence … he will comfort the young and old till that day comes."
