Dog Determined To Stay With Best Friend Won’t Leave Animal Shelter Until Family Adopts Them Both

If you’re a dog lover then you know how emotional they can be, regardless of what the standard science says.

If there is one thing that dogs are known for, it is their unwavering loyalty to their human, but their depth of loyalty goes far beyond just a singular bond, and when that bond gets interrupted the emotions start to boil over.

When a dog decides to take on a relationship the decision sticks no matter what, even with other dogs.

It is this type of bond that brings us to the beautiful story of Taco and Merrill.

In late 2014, the Rocket Dog Rescue Shelter was blessed to be able to take in two of the sweetest, most obedient dogs you could ever meet.

Taco, an 8-year-old Chihuahua at the time, and Merrill, a fun-loving 3-year-old Pitbull.

While there was plenty to notice about this odd couple, the most remarkable thing about them was their thicker-than-blood bond to one another.

The strange doggy duo was apparently stuck on each other, and it wasn’t very long before workers at the shelter realized there was going to be no separating the two.

The special type of relationship that Taco and Merrill share is what is known in the doggy-verse as abonded pair.

This goes far beyond just a normal relationship with other dogs by proximity alone, as once the bond is formed it becomes nearly unbreakable.

An attachment like this goes so deep for dogs that if a bonded pair are forced apart it legitimately traumatizes them, to the extent that they will form mental health problems like anxiety, which can lead to more physical problems down the road.

Their special bond with each other became, perhaps, most apparent when Merrill had to have surgery while at the shelter.

During their time apart, the two could not stop crying for each other.

The shelter knew that if they were to be adopted out the two would have to go together as a pair, and so they turned to their Facebook followers to reach out for a potential forever home for Taco and Merrill.

As these two sweethearts waited to find their new family, they got to stay with a loving foster mom.

Once word got out about this loveable duo on social media, it wasn’t long before people were applying to see if they would be a good fit for pittie-chihuahua team.

Finally, in May of 2015, the right family came along and the dogs took a two-week vacation to the new household to see how they meshed, and they instantly fell in love!

Now the pair were finally able to have a whole family that had room for both of them, and the two friends couldn’t have been any happier!

Taco and Merrill’s indestructible bond with one another proves that love and friendship are valued by dogs just as much as they are by people.

Thanks to the tender-heartedness of the shelter and dog lovers that heard the story, these two were able to live out the rest of their lives together.

Sadly, on May 17th, just three years after their adoption, Taco passed away, leaving behind a broken-hearted Merrill.

While it’s awful that Taco had to go, it was destiny for them to end up with their new family together.

Merrill has the best support he could ever get with his humans, as they were able to bond with Taco, too, before he crossed the great canine divide.

It’s been almost an entire year now since Merrill lost his best friend in the world, but thanks to the love he is surrounded by he’s beginning to heal now…and with a little help from a new friend.

In March, Merrill’s family decided it was time to add another member to their pack.

The bunch welcomed Chico into their home not to take the place of Taco, but to help Merrill grow through the heartache by nurturing a newfound friendship.

They may not have the same bond as he shared with Taco, but that’s okay; they have a very special bond of their own.

To see how Taco and Merrill’s story unfolded, check out the video below before heading over to their Instagram account to see how Merrill is holding up these days.

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