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A rescued puppy with a cleft lip had been at an animal shelter in Jackson, Michigan, USA, for nearly a week, and staff were concerned that it would not be adopted.
Then a man who has a 2-year-old boy with a cleft lip entered the shelter.
Brandon Boyers visited the Jackson County Animal Shelter last week in hopes of adopting rescued chickens to expand his family’s small farm.
But her thoughts quickly switched from poultry to puppies when she spotted a small black and white dog whose cleft lip reminded her of her son, Bentley.
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“It was quite shocking,” Boyers, 27, said. “I’ve never seen a dog with a cleft lip before.”
He called his wife on FaceTime to show her the puppy.
“I immediately told him to adopt her,” said 23-year-old Ashley Boyers. “I told him to bring her home today.”
Lydia Sattler / The Washington Post
Bentley Boyers, 2, meets his new puppy, Lacey, at the Jackson County Animal Shelter in Jackson, Michigan. DUE CREDIT: Lydia Sattler
Brandon Boyers asked Lydia Sattler, director of the animal shelter, about the adoption process.
“I explained that they could take the puppy home two days later, after he had his last appointment with the vet,” said Sattler, who was delighted that a family was interested in adopting the dog.
But Bentley’s parents were eager to introduce their son to their new friend with a familiar face. The next day, Ashley Boyers took Bentley to the shelter for a visit.
“They were lost to each other right away,” he said. As Bentley cradled the puppy in his arms and snuggled next to her, “everyone started crying.”
“We all cried seeing the two of them together,” said Sattler, who explained that this is the first time the shelter has had a puppy with a cleft lip. “The fact that this is something we never see, the puppy was coming from 1000 miles away and that Bentley’s dad was here at the time, it was just amazing.
“The puppy immediately began to absorb all of his love,” he continued. “It was a genuine joy.”
Family Photo / The Washington Post
Bentley Boyers at approximately 5 months of age, prior to his first surgery. MUST CREDIT: Family Photo
Bentley, who decided to name the dog Lacey, was born with a cleft lip and has had two surgeries. He has several more procedures to come, including a bone graft operation, his mother said.
“I found out she was going to have a cleft lip during my gender ultrasound. She had her first surgery when she was 5 months old,” Ashley Boyers said. “He is the strongest boy I know.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one in 2,800 babies is born with a cleft lip in the United States.
While the numbers are not as clear cut for canines, purebred dogs have a higher incidence rate of the condition than mixed-breed dogs. Although Lacey’s race is unknown, the shelter suspects that she is a combination of many races.
Lacey and 24 other rescued dogs were transported from an area in Mississippi with an overpopulation of animals to the Jackson County shelter.
“She was one of the last of the 25 to be adopted,” Sattler said, adding that despite the birth defect, the puppy is expected to lead a normal, healthy life.
In a Facebook post, the shelter wrote: “It is very difficult to put into words how significant this adoption is to all of us.”
“Bentley found his match today in this little puppy who also has a cleft lip,” the post says. “They instantly loved each other.”
Although the cleft lip is a coincidence, Bentley’s parents believe Lacey was destined to be their son’s dog, they said.
“He knows the dog has the same condition as him. He understands,” Ashley Boyers said. “It’s remarkable to see him share something in common with the puppy.”
Along with his parents, Bentley is delighted with his little friend.
“My puppy [is] How cute, “said Bentley.” I hug Lacey and give her kisses. “
Lacey is adjusting well to her new home and to her older canine sister, Remi, a 9-month-old English Mastiff.
“The dog has been fantastic,” Brandon Boyers said. “He even takes on our big dog.”
“Bentley spends all day playing with her,” Ashley Boyers said. “They play outside with balls and find sticks and rocks. And the three of them take a daily nap together on the dog’s bed.”
But beyond being his playmate, Lacey and her cleft lip will be an important companion to Bentley, her parents said.
“You won’t be lonely on this trip,” Brandon Boyers said.
