Kathryn Birster and her husband were devastated when their nine-year-old dog passed away. The Birsters adored their dog and were heartbroken when he passed away. As a result, they had no immediate plans to adopt another dog. But fate had something else in mind for them.
Kathryn Birster saw a post from Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia on her Facebook timeline one day. ACCT Philly stated in the post that they were looking for a home for two bonded pit bulls.
There was a lot of interest in adopting the male pit bull, but not so much in adopting the female pit bull. Birster became increasingly concerned as she read the comments on the Facebook post. It was clear that these two dogs would be separated unless something was done quickly.
“I was watching all of this on Facebook and my heart was breaking all over again,” Kathryn told The Dodo, “that these two who clearly needed to be together might be separated. I emailed my husband the photo, and we talked about it for a few days.”
The Birsters decided to go see the pit bulls after much deliberation. They went to ACCT Philly on March 14, 2014, and met the two dogs for the first time.
The Birsters hit it off with the dogs right away. “We knew we couldn’t leave them behind after spending some time with them, so we (tearfully) completed the adoption process, bringing them home that night,” Kathryn said.
The pit bulls were given the names Gus and Nina by the Birsters, and they quickly settled into their new home. The puppies were bouncy and happy to be with the Birsters. They were also grateful for each other’s presence.
“I know now that Gus would have been a complete disaster if Nina hadn’t come along. She’s his solace and anchor,” Kathryn explained. “If he’d been adopted or fostered without her, he’d be looking for her all the time. Nina is more self-reliant, but she would have lost her playmate.”
The Birsters can’t imagine life without Nina and Gus, who they adopted three years ago. On their Instagram page, Kathryn frequently posts photos of Gus and Nina’s adventures. Outside, the dogs enjoy running around and playing.
They also enjoy taking naps together!
The Birsters and their dogs have a wonderful life together, full of exciting adventures and unconditional love. Gus and Nina have a wonderful forever home thanks to Kathryn and her husband!
Image credit: KATHRYN BIRSTER