So many lives and property were lost in the recent fires in Australia. Unfortunately, one of those homes belonged to the family of OJ the Golden Retriever. Luckily, OJ and his family survived the fire, but they found that everything they owned had been destroyed. Well, almost everything. Amongst all the destruction, there was one important item that remained, proving that the little things in life can go a long way.
After returning to their home for the first time, OJ immediately discovered that his favorite toy had somehow survived all the flames. Of course, it didn’t look brand new, but it was in one piece, just sitting in the rubble. For OJ, it was a dream come true!
A Dog and His Toy
Any dog lover knows how important one squeaky toy can be to a dog. So, for OJ, it was no different. He picked the toy up right away and began playing with it as if nothing had changed. It was an adorable sight that quickly warmed the hearts of people all over the world.
OJ’s family took a few adorable photos of his reunion with the toy. They later discovered that OJ’s mom’s wedding dress had also magically survived the fire. However, even with these two amazing discoveries, the loss of their home was still heavy in their hearts.
“Every day we get reminders — every hour we get a reminder of what we lost and what we haven’t got anymore, and we have found it really hard to be here and look at it,” said Matt Zagami, OJ’s dad.
It will take a while for the family to get back to the way things used to be, but luckily, the kind dog lovers around the world have offered to donate to help. Many dog parents even made cute comments saying how their dogs wanted to share their toys with OJ. All the kindness helped give the family more hope, and OJ is grateful for all the love and support.
Appreciate the Little Things
For families like OJ’s, there’s no easy way to return home after all that destruction. But thanks to OJ’s favorite toy, things are slowly starting to look up. Sometimes all it takes is one small, happy moment at a time for things to get better. OJ’s excitement makes that very clear.
In the meantime, there are still plenty of humans and animals in Australia that need as much help as they can get. So, iHeartDogs is working to make sure those affected get the medical care needed. Please donate if you can and help make a difference!
H/T: thedodo.com
Featured Image: @dog_rates/Twitter
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via Whisker Therapy