A dog who suddenly went blind while her owner was on deployment in the Middle East excitedly jumped into his arms with glee as soon as she recognized he’d finally returned home.
Blake Crowe, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is inseparable from his eight-year-old black Labrador, Weatherby, who he adopted while stationed in Alaska many years ago.
When Blake, 35, a tech sergeant with the U.S Air Force, was deployed in March, the separation from wife Ashlei and Weatherby was tough, and in July, Weatherby started acting strangely.
She started bumping into walls and walked into a bush while outside, so Ashlei immediately called a local vet and took Weatherby in the very next day.
After a few visits, Weatherby was diagnosed with Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome (SARDS), a rare eye condition in dogs causing sudden and permanent blindness.
With there being no known cure but Weatherby still showing a clean bill of health, Ashlei helped the pooch get used to her new way of life while the pair waited for Blake to return home.
On October 14, as Blake walked through the door, he was worried she wouldn’t remember him, but Weatherby immediately caught a scent and turned to investigate – heading slowly towards it.
She quickly remembered the familiar smell, and as soon as she realized her owner was home, started wagging her tail with excitement, before sharing a big hug and laying her head on Blake’s shoulder.
Ashlei said: “It was such a sweet moment.
“When she first went blind, she was a little nervous and cautious everywhere, now she’s really adapted so well – dogs are so resilient.
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“Weatherby was my husband’s dog when we first started dating; he got her while he was stationed in Alaska, and they moved to Colorado together.
“She had been with him during some of the lows in his life prior to us dating.
“In the video when I first walk in you can tell she can smell him; she immediately turns back to the door where he was at.
“Seeing her walk over and get so wiggly and excited when she realized it was him made my heart melt.
“Then the big hug where she lays her head on his shoulder, I was done for.
“He was so worried she wouldn’t remember his smell or be nervous because she couldn’t see him, but she didn’t need vision to know who he was.
“With her diagnosis, we could have let it slow her down or stop her life, but we didn’t, we have pushed through all the hard times for the happy moments like this.
“While she cannot see anymore, she can feel the love around her, and we are so happy she’s still here with us, and happy that my husband was able to make it home to us to enjoy all that life has to offer.”
