Loneliness can be difficult, not only for humans but also for animals, particularly when they are brought to an unfamiliar environment. This was the case for Ruggles, a small Shih-Tzu puppy rescued from a puppy mill. Due to his tiny size, he is just a little bigger than an adult’s hand. After living in such a terrible place, Ruggles must have been frightened and anxious. Fortunately, the rescuers from Cherokee County Animal Shelter provided him with care and a home. The only thing that was missing was a companion of his own size.
It takes time for anyone, even a tiny puppy like Ruggles, to adjust to a new environment. Coming from a puppy mill, he may have felt frightened and anxious seeing a whole new world. But the Cherokee County Animal Shelter had something in mind to help him – a friend.
They introduced Ruggles to Chompers, a kitten who was found alone under a porch at only two days old. The heartwarming video captures their first meeting. As with all puppies and kittens, they are quite active and playful. And from the moment they saw each other, they hit it off.
They played with toys on the floor and never became uncomfortable with each other’s company. Soon, they left the toys and played with each other naturally. They became such good friends that it seemed like they had already moved on from their terrible past.
Both Ruggles and Chompers were able to live happily ever after.
Ruggles’ pet parent helps educate children about puppy mills and shelter dogs by taking him along on school visits. Even though Ruggles and his feline sister, Chompers, were both adopted, they didn’t end up with the same owner. However, both are happy with their new families. The shelter had initially planned to adopt them together, but Chompers was too rough with Ruggles due to his health issues, so they were adopted separately for their well-being.
Puppy mills are bad because they breed mother dogs constantly, leading to the production of pups that often develop severe health problems that are difficult to treat. The living environment for these dogs is often unsafe and unsanitary. Ruggles and the Cherokee County Animal Shelter wanted to spread this message and encourage people to adopt shelter animals instead of buying from puppy mills.
