Dog Given Up for Being Deaf Finds Forever Home With Hearing Impaired Man
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A deaf dog who was given up to a Florida shelter by a family who could no longer handle his needs has found the perfect forever home with a hearing-impaired former professor.
Fourteen-month-old Labahoula Champ was given up to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, who shared his story on Facebook.
“Champ’s family surrendered him because he was deaf and they couldn’t provide the care he needed,” they explained. “Champ is now adopted by Davelis Goutoufas, who is deaf too!”
Photos of Goutoufas meeting Champ at the Florida shelter show the pup and grinning professor sharing cuddles, and Champ earning some treats from his new owner.
Goutoufas, a former adjunct professor of American Sign Language (ASL) who visited the shelter on a whim to see what dogs were there, was charmed by Champ. He told Fox 13 News, “As I went into his cage, he was super friendly to me. I pet him, and then as I was walking out, he was going forward to me and barked softly, like he was trying to communicate, ‘Please pick me.’”
Witnessing this, Goutoufas felt compelled to walk back to his cage and pet him again. According to Goutoufas, Champ was excited, and when the former professor walked, Champ went forward again and barked softly.
When an employee at the shelter told Goutoufass—who has had Labradors since college—that Champ was deaf, he knew right then that he had found the perfect dog.
With support from his daughter, who has studied ASL in college, Goutoufas made the adoption official, renaming his new dog Apollo in honor of his Greek heritage. “Words can’t even describe their immediate bond,” wrote shelter staffers, calling the union a “pawsitively perfect match.”
Comments flooded in from hundreds of well-wishers, congratulating the Humane Society on their successful rehoming.
“OMG, my heart!!! I’m not crying, you’re crying!” wrote one netizen. “I don’t think I’ve heard of a more appropriate, more heartwarming adoption than this. God bless you both and enjoy your new family!”
“How wonderful for this dog and his new human. Both deaf, made for one another for sure,” wrote another.
Since his adoption, Apollo is living an action-packed life filled with swimming, playing, boating, riding in golf carts, and plenty of love from his new owner’s extended family. The ex-professor is also teaching Apollo—who already knew some commands in sign language—some more signs.
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