Unfortunately, dogs can sometimes fall victim to abuse. Yet despite their mistreatment, they remain kindhearted and sweet. If not for the knowledge of their history, you might never suspect their hardship.
However, only upon learning their history do you realize their stalwart endurance, which shrugs off grievances and leaves no room for malice. As dog owners, we know these stories too well. Such dogs are the epitome of kindly goodness and forgiveness.
They just so happen to be some of the best darn friends we could ask for. With her gift of intuition, Cora the Corgi is sharing much-needed love with everyone. She’s a trained therapy dog owned by 23-year-old Madison Palm.
When Madison takes a trip to visit her mother in Alaska, Cora’s conduct during a layover melts her heart. At the Seattle airport, Cora notices a man sitting alone.
The dog makes her way to him and sits by his feet. The man gives her a few gentle pats and strokes her softly. Many people are receptive to friendly dogs, as this man clearly is.
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But as a matter of courtesy, Madison asks whether Cora’s presence is intrusive. Her inkling couldn’t be further from the truth. The man wells up with tears at the question and reveals that he lost a dog of his own the night before.
Speechless, Madison gives Cora a look and decides to let Cora stay with the man for a while. The exchange is incredibly poignant. He continues to pet Cora, complimenting her and speaking to her.
Madison relishes her dog’s power to console. She views her dog’s ability as a true gift and is grateful Cora has come into her life. Up until this incident at the airport, Cora is with Madison for just seven months.
While this brief exchange with a stranger comes as something of a shock to Madison, given the man’s underlying feeling, bringing smiles to people’s faces comes naturally for Cora. After all, she is a therapy dog. Madison can recount plenty of instances of Cora’s healing prowess.
Image Credit (Madison Palm/Instagram)
But Cora’s background paints an entirely different picture.
Madison works for her county’s Department of Motor Vehicles. One day while on a break, a coworker discovers a Corgi on Facebook. The dog is notorious for eating their owner’s chickens, and the family decides it’s time to part ways with the dog. The coworker shares the post with Madison.
The family is willing to give Cora to anyone who will take her. Seeing this, Madison leaves work immediately to visit the family. Upon arriving, she observes the Corgi isn’t sufficiently fed and learns Cora is kept outside all her life.
The dog survives these deplorable conditions eating food scraps thrown into the yard by the owners. The trappings of dog ownership are absent from Cora’s body. She is bare, with no tags or collar, and lives as though she doesn’t belong to the family.
While Madison owns another dog already, she couldn’t pass the opportunity to take Cora in. Her choice is risky, seeing that her landlord won’t allow for a second dog on the premises. However, Cora’s affection during their car ride quickly wins Madison over.
Cora crawls into Madison’s lap as she drives, sealing the deal. Yet the neglect of the dog becomes apparent during a bath. The water turns black.
Cora’s teeth are rotting. Her ears are also infected. As it turns out, she’s never been to a vet, even after she bears many litters in the tough environment of her previous owners.
Cora’s character remains steadfast. As Madison describes, she’s a caring and loving dog who enjoys being held and embraced. Her presence even helps Madison to cope with her own anxieties.
Image Credit (Madison Palm/Instagram)
Through Madison, Cora is given a new life. Not only does Madison move to a home with a yard, but she also enrolls Cora in the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen program. In this training course, dogs and their owners learn basic skills to instill good dog manners and responsiveness.
It is through this same program that Cora can train as a therapy dog. The new life is a welcome change for a dog who spends over 7 years in an unsavory environment.
Cora’s capacity for love continues to amaze Madison. It’s uncertain what other challenges Cora suffers from her previous owners. Nonetheless, Madison lives by a solemn promise; that she will give Cora the best life possible.
Credits to Today