A Baltimore man was reunited with his beloved pet dog Barak after nearly four months of separation.
Back in October, an explosion in the city left the man’s home in ruins and he suffered life-threatening burns that left him hospitalized and in a coma for months.
“It was by a miracle that they narrowly survived the disaster, which resulted in other fatalities,” BARCS Animal Shelter said in a statement, per PEOPLE, adding, “Barak was transferred to BARCS and his dad to shock trauma where he was put into an induced coma for life-threatening burns.”
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The dog dad, who has not been identified, reportedly begged EMTs and doctors to save Barak and return him upon the owner’s recovery.
“A few days after Barak arrived at our shelter, we learned that his dad’s expected time in the hospital was at least a month,” the shelter said. “Up until recently, guaranteeing a month-long hold or longer — even for an emergency — wasn’t always easy or even possible. BARCS is an open admission shelter and the looming threat of running out of kennel space has always plagued our organization.”
The shelter was able to house the dog for “as long as needed,” BARCS said.
“Barak wasn’t a candidate for foster, but at the shelter, he had a daily plan of long walks, playgroup romps, in-kennel enrichment, training sessions, and cuddle time thanks to our dedicated volunteers and staff,” the shelter added.
After months in a coma, the dog and its owner were finally reunited last week after the Barak’s dad found a pet-friendly home in January.
“He hugged and kissed his very best buddy, with all those around him watching in tears. Keeping this family together was worth the resources and worth the wait,” the shelter shared.
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“The first place he landed wouldn’t allow for dogs,” the shelter explained, but they “stayed in contact with Barak’s dad frequently as he put the pieces of his life back together, all the while facing the daily heartbreak of missing his best friend.”
They added, “We assured him that, no matter what, Barak would stay at BARCS until they could be reunited.”
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