A shelter dog with Norman Animal Welfare in Oklahoma that was set to be put down gets his much-deserved second chance at life, thanks to a pilot and a stranger hundreds of miles away.
The shelter highlighted Odin’s story in a Facebook post on Tuesday, January 23 because he was not getting that much adoption attention.
Odin, a long-stay dog at the Norman Animal Welfare, has been in the shelter since September 2023. And he came in with an extremely swollen left eye.
They had to remove his left eye and is doing just fine without it. And that’s probably why he was named Odin, after the one-eyed Norse god!
The shelter describes Odin as a dog that “has a lot of energy” and being in a kennel for so long has taken its toll on him.
“He is not good with other dogs mostly because he doesn’t seem to understand canine social cues; he just goes all-in to play and then isn’t sure when the other dog is overwhelmed,” the shelter wrote.
One of the shelter’s volunteer called Odin a fun dog. The volunteer said, “He acts like a Hummingbird who only sits for short periods of time. He doesn’t care to be walked or ran. What he wants is for someone to play and give him attention.”
“Like any young dog, with training, he will learn to better control jumping and puppy biting,” the volunteer added.
Due to his length of stay at the shelter, Odin is free to adopt. He is also neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. However, despite of these facts and the post by the shelter, Odin never received any adoption inquiries.
Sadly, on January 30, Norman Animal Welfare posted a deadline plea saying that Odin needed a foster or adopter by February 02, or else he’d be put down.
The shelter wrote, “Due to behavioral deterioration and lack of adoption interest, Odin will be scheduled for euthanasia. He loves people and just needs a chance in a home that can work with him.”
The post went viral and people everywhere were trying their best just so Odin won’t be put down.
A dog trainer was even donating 10 hours of training to whoever adopts Odin. And another was willing to donate to adoption fees.
However, a day after, Odin’s life did a complete 180 when Norman Animal Welfare posted an update saying, “Odin can rest easy because he is literally flying the coop.”
The shelter shared, “Through a collaborative effort between Parker and Danielle Ferguson, and adopter Diane Baker, Odin is safe!”
The shelter further revealed that Parker Ferguson is a private pilot and offered to fly Odin out of state. And the offer was perfect because Odin’s new owner, Diane Baker, “messaged from Atlanta and said she just had to have him”.
A few weeks after Odin set off on his adventure, Norman Animal Welfare posted an update on Odin (now named Wink by his new hooman).
“Wink’s adopter reports that he is doing wonderfully in his new home. He did end up going to a home that had another dog – a little chihuahua named Dumpling.”
While it was previously revealed that Odin didn’t do well with other dogs, the shelter reports that Dumpling is doing a excellent job at letting Odin know how to act properly.
“His adopter reports that he is a velcro dog, loving to be around them,” the shelter wrote.
And while Odin has finally got his second chance at life, there are still dogs and other animals at Norman Animal Welfare waiting for their chance, too.
So, if you’re looking to adopt a dog, you can come visit Norman Animal Welfare to view their adoptable animals.