Today in crying: this blind pup has her own guide dogs
Meet Kiaya, a 10-year-old white Akita. Here she is being spooned ever so sweetly by her little brothers, 8-year-old Cass and 2-year-old Keller.
“She’s my furry daughter,” her human mom, vet tech Jessica VanHusen explained to ABC News. “She’s amazing.”
Kiaya was unfortunately diagnosed with glaucoma and had to have both her eyes removed. Lucky for Kiaya, she has AMAZING little brothers, who rushed to their sister’s side and essentially became Kiaya’s own seeing eye dogs.
“Her brothers are pretty amazing at the way they help to guide her around,” Dr. Gwen Sila, the vet who operated on Kiaya, told ABC News. “Each of them will stand on either side of her so she doesn’t bump into anything and lead her around the yard.”
“It’s amazing to watch,” Sila explained to CBS News. “It’s clear the other dogs are trying to protect her. Their sense of loyalty is really remarkable.”
Middle brother Cass was the first to step up to the plate in 2013 when his sister’s first eye was removed. As VanHusen explains, he started hugging her side when they moved around the yard, and when they lay down, Cass would lay on his sister’s “blind side.”
When Kiaya had her second eye removed in 2014, that’s when Cass went into awesome brother overdrive.
“Cass always allows Kiaya to get to her food dish first and waits for her to start eating,” VanHusen explained to CBS News. “When I take them in the car, he leans against her to keep her steady because she sometimes gets a little off kilter. He also loves to groom her.”
Their baby brother Keller is now also becoming super-protective of his older sister, and is guiding Kiaya from her other side.
“They’re an inspiration to everyone,” VanHusen told CBS. “I hope others will see them and realize that a special needs pet deserves a chance. It takes a little effort, but it’s absolutely worth it.”
