There’s very little that animal rescuers won’t do to improve the lives of the pets they save.
A few years ago, Los Angeles, California-based couple Marc and Kristen Peralta came up with a clever solution to a problem they were having. They run Vintage Pet Rescue, a nonprofit that takes in senior dogs and finds them forever homes, and one of their dogs required Marc’s constant attention.
That’s why Kristen and Marc created FARC, or “fake Marc,” from a life-sized dummy they dressed in Marc’s clothing. Shorty the senior pug was completely fooled by FARC, spending hours snuggled up against the dummy to ease his separation anxiety.
“We thought it would just kind of be a funny photo opportunity at first,” Kristen told The Dodo. “But it actually worked, and the dogs loved it!”
Ever since that early success, FARC has been on call whenever a dog needs a little extra TLC and attention.
The shelter recently welcomed a senior chihuahua mix named Bill. One of the first things they observed about Bill, other than his incredibly soft fur, was his desire to be held constantly. Bill is 10 years old and completely blind, so he requires a lot more physical attention than most other dogs.
“Bill will need to be carried outside, carried inside, and will need to be kept away from stairs,” the shelter wrote on Facebook. “Bill doesn’t really explore much on his own and prefers to be held or cuddle with his person. We’ve found that Bill loves the mental stimulation of a Kong or snuffle mat.”
Bill is anxious and never wants to be without human attention. He really wanted to be held around-the-clock, which isn’t exactly practical for busy animal rescuers like Marc and Kristen. This looked like a job for FARC!
“Obviously we would love to be able to hold Bill all day, but there’s always a lot to be done here at the rescue,” Kristen said. “As long as he’s comfortable and happy – that’s all that matters.”
Like the other dogs before him, Bill took to FARC immediately! He can now cuddle with his “human” to his heart’s content, and FARC provides him with the safety and security he craves.
Of course, the shelter’s volunteers sometimes take over to get their own share of snuggles in with Bill, but now they don’t have to carry the 15-pound dog around everywhere they go.
Good news! Thanks to Marc and Kristen, Bill has found his very own forever home. His new owners promise to take over the snuggling full time, sending FARC back into retirement.
Don’t forget to share the adorable Bill’s story with a friend.
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