Anyone can be a hero, whether it be a caped crusader, an ordinary person, or even a dog.
Take Kiko for instance: a sweet, 14-year-old pit bull who risked his life for a human. Much like Salty, last surviving 9/11-rescue dog, Kiko was a compassionate pup willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for his beloved owners.
It all began in 2012, when Kiko defended his home from invasion. A man disguised as a UPS deliveryman tried to break into Kiko’s Staten Island, NY home.
Regrettably, when Kiko tried to stop the home invader, the brave canine was shot in the head.
Though he survived the incident, since that fateful day, Kiko’s owner has fallen on tough times. He was forced to move and wasn’t able to take the dog who risked his very life for him…
So in 2014, when rescue organization “Mighty Mutts” learned of Kiko’s misfortune, they took the senior pit bull in.
“The first few weeks of adoption drives, it was obvious that Kiko was very confused, and just seemed to be looking for his owner,” Jill Haynes of Mighty Mutts told The Dodo. “Initially we thought he was a little shut down, but after a bit of time we realized he was actually just completely deaf.”
Once this was discovered, Kiko began to blossom in their care. Now, his beautiful transformation is going viral…
This is Kiko in 2012, shortly after the home invasion in which he took a bullet for his owner and miraculously survived.
When his owner — whom Kiko saved — fell on hard times, the senior pit bull was relinquished to the rescue Mighty Mutts.
Shortly after they took him into their care, the staff at Mighty Mutts discovered he was deaf.
Janet Holmes of Mighty Mutts is unsure if Kiko has been deaf his whole life or if it is a result of the gunshot wound.
Because he is a more reserved than some of Mighty Mutt’s younger and more energetic dogs, and Kiko is often overlooked.
But, according to a Facebook post Kiko’s foster mom recently published, potential owners are missing out.
“He loves having his ears and butt scratched and usually when he lays down he he makes a cute little grunting/sighing noise,” she writes.
“He is very food motivated, and smart. He loves looking at himself in the mirror (he obviously knows how handsome he is) and when we go on walks sometimes he stops to look at himself in the store windows. “
“When he has extra energy he likes to roll around on the floor and wiggle back and forth. Whenever I catch him doing this he stops and just looks at me. (I'm assuming it's like the equivalent of someone catching you while you're dancing).”
“He gets excited for his walks and gently steps into his harness and waits for me to open the door patiently.”
“His favorite way to show affection is to come over to you and stare at you until you pet him. Then he buries his head into you and gives little happy grunts when you scratch his head just right. He also checks in with you to see where you are and if everything is ok.”
“Because he's deaf, giving him visual reassurance that everything is ok is really important in making him feel calm and secure. I usually smile at him and give him a thumbs up. Then he goes back to sleeping or eating.”
“He has quickly become a favorite in my building and neighborhood. We're constantly getting pets from people who recognize him from our walks.”
“He has no food aggression at all, and hasn't made a move for any of my furniture or rugs as chew toys. He also has no anxiety in the elevator which is great because we're looking for someone with an elevator or minimal stairs to adopt him.””
Mighty Mutts, located in New York City, is looking to place Kiko in the next two weeks, thanks to all the media attention he has recently acquired. They are looking for a family within 2-3 hours’ driving distance of the city.
If you know anyone who may be a good potential match, contact Mighty Mutts here!
Please SHARE and help find this brave senior dog a loving home!
UPDATE: He found his forever home and is now with a loving family. Yey!
