Ever since Claire Hughes got her dog from Fetch + Release, an organization that rehomes dogs in need, she has done everything she could to provide her with the best life she could.
A few years before finding her forever home, Dolly, now 11, a Catahoula leopard dog and beagle mix, gave birth to six puppies. While they all made it into homes over time, one pup named Cheddar had ended up back in the rescue shelter and was yet to find his happy ending.
That was, until Hughes, from Hamilton, Ontario, learned about his ongoing search for a family. After seeing how much difference it can make to a dog’s life, she knew that adopting Cheddar was the right call, telling Newsweek that having a “mother and child reunion makes it even more meaningful.”
Claire Hughes
Cheddar spent seven years on a farm in Tennessee, before being moved to Canada in 2021, where he waited for another two years at the rescue center until finally finding his forever home.
Hughes said: “We’re in a place where we have a home with a really big backyard, we both work from home, and we love dogs, so why not adopt Dolly’s son? Everything from the post made him seem like he had a similar temperament and mannerisms to her, and she is the absolute light of our lives.
“Cheddar came for a visit to see if they’d get along, and Dolly bounded up to him immediately. In many ways, the deal was sealed right there. Our main decision factor was making sure they got along.”
In just over a week, Cheddar settled perfectly into his new home, and he’s even started to form a friendship with Norman the cat. Hughes has enjoyed seeing the mother-son relationship grow between Dolly and Cheddar, and she said “it’s the cutest thing” when he rests his head on his mom to fall asleep.
After observing the dogs together, Hughes even noticed that Cheddar has some of “the same neuroses” as his mom, including the need to only walk on rugs rather than the hardwood floor. “They seem to be cheering each other on when they face their fears,” she joked.
He may now be nine years old, but Cheddar has found his way back to his birth mom, and the two get to live out the rest of their years together.
On October 31, Hughes shared a picture of her new addition on Reddit, as user u/claireahhhhh. The post, titled: “We adopted our dog’s son, and it’s going very well,” has warmed many hearts online as it’s already generated over 9,400 votes on Reddit.
Claire Hughes
The social media reaction has been hugely positive, and Hughes hopes that the tale of Dolly and Cheddar’s reunion will encourage more people to adopt pets.
“Adopting a dog can be such a gratifying experience and senior dogs have so much love to give. If our home becomes a retirement community for nice creatures, we would be very lucky,” she said.
Since the Reddit post went viral, plenty of people have commented to share their praise for Hughes. One comment reads: “I love them all! What a beautiful family.”
Claire Hughes
Another person commented: “Yours looks like a serene place for pets, no wonder they love it. And each other!”
While other Redditors were most impressed by Norman, as one person wrote: “Blown away by the cat. Must be a chill cat.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.