When it comes to love at first sight, you just know.
A mom named Jayne from upstate New York experienced that feeling the minute she laid eyes on a giant shaggy dog at an animal shelter hundreds of miles from her home. Jayne says her husband likes looking at adoptable dogs online, and the day they saw Cosmo the St. Bernard’s listing something clicked for both of them.
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“There was a picture of Cosmo (online) just looking up at the camera like ‘please take me home,’ and he was looking right at us,”said Jayne. The purebred St. Bernard had been abandoned at the Hearts United for Animals shelter by his breeder, although no one understands exactly why. Shelter workers instantly fell in love with the gentle giant, noticing right away that he was clueless about living indoors.
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Jayne, her husband, and their two kids lead an active lifestyle and already own two pets and several giant bunnies. They knew they could provide Cosmo with a huge space to roam, friendly pets to befriend him, and a welcoming family life that any dog would enjoy. Even though she knew it seemed a little nutty, Jayne started making plans to fly to Nebraska, rent a car, and drive home with their new 130-pound family member.
“When I decided … I was pretty sure that most of the world would think I was crazy,”Jayne said with a laugh. But once she arrived in Nebraska and met Cosmo in person she knew she had made the right choice.
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The “love at first sight” continued when she first crouched down and let Cosmo give her a good sniff. The dog has no experience traveling in cars or even living inside a home, but with gentle training from his new family, Jayne knew he would be just fine.
“I don’t know if Cosmo has any understanding of what’s happening, but I think he understands there’s a human here who wants to give him some love and he’s pretty happy about it,”she said.
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After wrangling the massive dog into the car, Jayne and Cosmo set off for the long drive back to New York. Once he got home he met his new dog brother and sister, the bunnies, and most importantly, his human siblings.
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Even though everything was new to him, Cosmo fit right in! He gets along with everyone and is thoroughly enjoying sprawling out on the family’s couch. He still doesn’t quite understand how large he is and can often be found squeezing into tight spots better suited for one of the family’s rabbits!
“It’s nice to see him on a big space, see him spread out and put his belly on a cool floor, and just know he’s finally staying in a space, a place where can feel happy and comfortable,”Jayne said.
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Thanks to the kind shelter workers and this family willing to go miles out of their way to help him, Cosmo is living the dream! It just goes to show you that following our instincts, no matter how strange they may seem, will always lead us in the right direction. Welcome home, Cosmo!
Watch the video below to see Cosmo in his new home, and don’t forget to share to encourage animal adoption!
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