A deaf and blind puppy named Piglet has become the poster boy for acceptance and inclusion with his inspiring story of overcoming some of life’s most difficult challenges, People reported.
This sweet pup was born in an overcrowded Georgia home, one of 35 other dogs sharing the tiny space in a terrible hoarding situation.
Piglet’s pastel-pink appearance has to do with him being the product of two “dapple colored” parents.
The “dapple” coloring is the result of the merle gene, which can lead to unusual skin pigmentation and oddly colored eyes in affected dogs. According to his official website , because both of Piglet’s parents being forced to breed “dapple to dapple”, there was a 25 percent chance of each puppy being “double dapple.”
With this comes congenital ear and eye defects which means a puppy could be partially or completely deaf/blind. Piglet is both.
After the dachshund-Chihuahua mix was rescued, he was sent to a shelter where he was adopted by Melissa Shapiro.
The Connecticut-based veterinarian initially only intended to foster the delicate 1-pound puppy, but after two months with Piglet, she knew she wanted to be his full-time dog momma.
“It was quite a decision to make,” Shapiro said. “He is a lot of work and he is like a full-time job, taking care of a little disabled baby. But he’s so cute, and we couldn’t give him away at that point.”
Of course, being a blind and deaf puppy meant that Piglet was going to have a difficult time adjusting to life with his new owner.
As Shapiro explained, he struggled to transition into her family and was constantly screaming from his separation anxiety.
“He would play, then go to sleep, but when he wasn’t doing either of those, he was screaming,” she said. “I couldn’t leave the house the first month I had the dog here.”
After a few tough months, Piglet eventually fell into a comfy routine with his new family and his six dog siblings.
He even got his own Instagram page where his dog mom keeps his more than 100,000 fans updated on his daily antics. But Shapiro said she knew this inspiring pup was meant for bigger things than just Instagram fame.
She explained, “When we kept him, I said he needs to have some bigger meaning.”
As it turns out, that “bigger meaning” would all happen thanks to one third grade teacher in Massachusetts.
After hearing of Piglet’s journey, the teacher used the pup as an example of why you should never give up, teaching her students about how sometimes life’s greatest struggles can lead to growth.
Dubbed “Piglet Mindset”, the program saw the teacher and Shapiro collaborate to teach the kids these vital lessons, culminating with a surprise visit from Piglet himself at the end of the year. After that, there was no question what this pup’s purpose was.
Now, the “Piglet Mindset Outreach Program” is in classrooms all over the world, from America to Japan and even Australia.
Using online learning materials, the program teaches students how to face challenges and be grateful for what they have rather than focusing on what they might feel like they’re missing.
Piglet also advocates for an end to double dapple breeding and inspires others to adopt special needs pets.
“People are afraid to adopt these animals, they think that it’s going to be too much work,” Shapiro said. “But people see Piglet’s page and I get so many notes from people that because of him, they just adopted.”
She added, “It’s rewarding to know that people are taking the lead and being inspired by Piggy.”
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Any money Shapiro earns from Piglet’s social media and merchandise goes directly to special-needs animal shelters.
So far, Piglet has raised more than $30,000, and his dog momma hopes to see his program eventually expanded into even more classrooms. She also wants to one day create a non-profit so she can give even more to rescues.
And it’s all thanks to this inspiring, pink-colored puppy.
“It makes a lot of people really happy to know him,” Shapiro said.
h/t: People , Pink Piglet Puppy
