The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of loss and heartbreak to people around the world. In the spring of 2020, Wilfredo Vega from South Daytona, Florida faced his worst nightmare. His mom passed away amid the pandemic at 81 years old. Her oxygen level worsened after she was admitted to the hospital and she had a difficult time holding a conversation. When she passed away, Vega didn’t know how to handle his grief. Even months later, he still wasn’t in the holiday spirit. Celebrating anything seemed wrong without his mom there. But then he paused for a moment to think about what she would want for him, which led him toward one lucky rescue dog.
Meet Tonka!
Tonka the Pit Bull was almost the longest resident in history at the Orange County Animal Services. He spent a total of 216 days in their care, dreaming of a place to call home. During his stay, he had been adopted twice, but returned soon after for reasons out of his control. He just needed a family that was willing to give him time.
Poor Tonka first came to the shelter after being abandoned by his previous family. When they contacted the owner of the property, they explained that they had to relocate and couldn’t find somewhere for Tonka to stay. So, he was surrendered to the shelter. It took him a while to warm up to shelter life, but the staff hoped that he would find a more comfortable place to stay soon.
“Tonka is a handsome boy, who can definitely turn on the charm,” said Diane Summers, manager for Orange County Animal Services. “We’ve struggled to find that lasting match for him because he has shown that he needs to be the only dog in the home, a factor that drastically limits the pool of interested adopters, and he has heartworm disease, a treatable condition, but one that can come with a stigma due to lack of understanding.”
Tonka Finds His Way Home
It was the memories of Vega’s mom that brought him toward Tonka. He saw an article about Tonka’s story, and remembered how his mom had always raised him to do the right thing. He knew he could use another loving family member during these difficult times, so he drove 90 minutes to Orlando just to meet Tonka.
At first, things didn’t go as planned. It wasn’t love at first sight for Vega or Tonka. Sadly, Tonka even nipped at his potential adopter when they were playing. Vega felt a stronger connection to one of the other adoptable Pit Bulls, but he didn’t want another dog. He came there for Tonka, and he knew he just had to give the pup some time.
So, after careful consideration, Vega brought Tonka home. Sure enough, having tennis balls and a bed to call his own was enough to help Tonka feel happier and more loving. In a home environment, Vega feels a stronger connection toward Tonka and even enjoys taking him for walks. Vega also admits that Tonka is helping distract him from the sadness of his loss.
“Having him, it seems like I’m a little more energized,” Vega said. “I’m definitely going to be putting up my Christmas tree. I’m definitely going to spend time with the family for the holidays. So, he’s helping me just as much as I’m helping him.”
In addition to Tonka, Vega also has six parakeets and two cockatiels that he adopted from a shelter. The rescue birds aren’t quite as comforting as Tonka though, so Vega’s glad to have a furry friend around. Even though he and Tonka seemed at odds in the beginning, Vega took a chance and it paid off for the both of them.
H/T: mynews13.com
Featured Image: @orangecountyanimalservices/Facebook
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