Pup Considered 'Unadoptable' – Now He Is Washington's First Deaf K9 Officer

Apr 29, 2019 by apost team

Despite being one of the cutest puppies in the world, Ghost was said to be 'unadoptable'. As a deaf dog, the shelter owners didn't believe that there would be a chance for Ghost to find a forever home. The poor dog sat in the Florida shelter until Swamp Heaven made a fateful call.

Swamp Heaven is a Florida-based animal rescue center that specializes in saving animals who are rejected like Ghost. After hearing this dog's story, the organization decided to bring Ghost into their family for a short period of time. Swamp Heaven went on an active search to find a great home for their newest addition. Eventually, a rescue center in Washinton called the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society agreed to adopt Ghost.

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The rescue center in Washington was actually starting to train deaf puppies. The timing couldn't have been better for Ghost. Despite the good news, Ghost was still sad to leave his new family behind. Fortunately, it takes about three months to organize the transportation of an animal from Florida to Oregon. Ghost had many weeks to say goodbye to his new friends.

Lindsay Kelley is the founder of Swamp Heaven. She admitted that the volunteers had difficulties communicating with Ghost at first. The organization had never worked with a deaf puppy before. Despite the lack of communication, everyone was falling in love with this adorable puppy. In fact, 48 different drivers volunteered to make the long drive with the dog from Florida to Washington.

During the week-long drive through the country, Ghost had already created memories for each volunteer. Some workers talked about Ghost chewing leashes or car seats. Others told about the dog's ability to pop tennis balls in just a few minutes. Ghost's affinity for tennis balls ended up being a great opportunity for the young dog. When the staff at the Human Society recognized his love for finding tennis balls, they had a great idea.

Barbara Davenport has been working closely with the shelter for many years. In fact, Davenport has been the go-to trainer for dogs with high levels of energy. She has helped human societies train over 450 rescue dogs since the early 1980s. After spending a little time with Ghost, Davenport knew that the puppy would be a great fit as a K-9 unit. After speaking with the Department of Corrections, Davenport was able to find an available spot for Ghost. The trainer worked closely with the DOC to create a series of hand signals to make it easier to communicate with Ghost.

What do you think about this story? Are you happy to see Ghost as a K-9 officer? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this article along to your friends and family!