In October 2020, an explosion damaged townhomes in northwest Baltimore. The blast killed several people and injured many, including Barak’s owner. It was a long recovery but, finally, the man reunited with his best friend after months in a coma.
The injured man and Barak were fortunate enough to escape death that fateful day. However, the man still suffered from severe burns. As EMTs rescued him, there was only one thing on the poor man’s mind: he wanted to protect his dog.
Although in severe pain, he begged the EMTs to take care of Barak. He kept on expressing his concerns even when he was in the hospital. Fortunately, the BARCS Animal Shelter was there to help.
This shelter saves as many as 10,000 dogs every year. But one question remained. Was there enough space in the shelter to hold Barak while the doctors treated his owner? The shelter was often at full capacity.
BARCS takes care of Barak
The hospital told the shelter that they have to hold Barak for at least a month. Normally, holding a dog for this long is incredibly difficult. BARCS takes care of many dogs and they have to carefully use their available kennel space.
However, the pandemic caused big changes in their foster program. More people fostered dogs, freeing up space in the kennel. BARCS was now able to take care of Barak for however long was necessary.
At the shelter, the volunteers and staff implemented a daily plan for the sweet dog. Barak experienced regular walks, in-kennel enrichment, and playground time. All Barak needed to do then was to patiently wait for his master’s return.
Barak reunites with his loving owner
The doctors and nurses working at the hospital put Barak’s owner in a medically-induced coma for 4 months. They worked tirelessly to save the man’s life. Until finally, Barak and his loving owner saw each other again.
The reunion was incredibly touching and sweet. The man had visible burns on his hands, but he did not seem to care as he held his best friend. Barak’s owner was also able to find a dog-friendly home. The pair can now enjoy their new life and start over.
Check out this video to see Barak and his owner reunite.
Here is another wonderful story about a dog being reunited with his best friend. https://happymutt.org/soldier-reunited-with-the-dog-she-met-during-deployment/
Video and Image Credit: WJZ, BARCSAnimalShelter
