“Life Changes In A Minute.” Missing Deaf Dog Reunites With His Loving Family.

Pets hold a special place in our hearts, especially ones like Rufus.

Videos by InspireMore

Marisa Martínez was gifted her deaf blue heeler by a friend during what was probably one of the most difficult moments of her life. A single mom, she lost one of her three kids, Zamora Moon, in 2017 to a rare brain cancer known as DIPG.

Initially, Marisa did not know the dog was deaf but figured it out when she noticed he did not respond to her baby crying, calls, or other loud sounds. This aspect of her dog, however, was never seen as a shortcoming. In fact, Marisa says she sees his deafness as a “super power.”

When Rufus escaped from his Santa Fe home last September, Marisa did not think twice about contacting Team Frijoles, a local volunteer group, to help find him. The organization immediately went into action getting posters created and spreading the word.

Although Marisa’s hope of ever getting her beloved Rufus back began to fade with time, she never truly gave up. Then, finally, a kind person was at the right place at the right time.

Arabel Solis, a motorcyclist, just so happened to spot this sweet pup. He could have kept going about his day, but because he knows what it’s like to lose a pet, he always takes the time to report every stray animal he can.

“You think your dog is gone, you’ll never see him again,” Arabel said.

Once alerted, Team Frijoles set up a way to lure the dog to them. By setting up cameras, a feeding area, and even a trap, they were able to safely capture the dog they hoped to be Rufus.

Thanks to his chip, they were able to quickly confirm that the sweet pup they found was, indeed, Rufus! Eight days later, a virtual reunion was arranged with his family who, at the time, were in Spain – and what a happy reunion it was!

“It’s nothing short of a miracle,” Marisa said of Rufus being found.

The best moment of all, however, was the reunion that happened in person. It took Rufus a moment to remember who his mom was but, eventually, he was ready for all the cuddles!

“Life changes in a minute,” she said. “I don’t know the powers that be or if God was involved, I don’t know, but I feel like a big miracle has happened and I feel truly blessed.”

Watch Marisa reunite with her beloved Rufus in the video below, and don’t forget to share.