A woman and her brother from Texas experienced a heartwarming reunion with their cherished family dog, Shiloh, whom they believed they had lost forever.
Shiloh reentered Alden Cuevas and her brother Jackson’s lives seven years after their stepfather left, taking the beloved pet with him. However, the joy of their unexpected reunion soon turned into sadness.
“There was no warning,” Cuevas recalled. “They vanished one day, and we never knew where they went. We assumed Shiloh had passed away long ago.”
The turning point came in May, when Cuevas stumbled upon her stepfather’s mug shot on social media and discovered an ad looking to rehome 15 dogs, including Shiloh.
Learning about the distressing condition Shiloh had been left in spurred Cuevas into action.
“She had been abandoned in a warehouse for six days without food or water,” Cuevas explained. Shiloh had spent most of the past six years outdoors, suffering from sores, fleas, ticks, and rotten teeth.
“We immediately drove seven hours to bring her home,” Cuevas shared.
The reunion, though bittersweet, was emotional. Upon hearing Cuevas’ voice, Shiloh recognized her instantly and started howling. “She knew me as soon as she could smell me,” Cuevas said.
Jackson, who had a close bond with Shiloh, was also deeply moved. “My brother was very emotional,” Cuevas mentioned. “She looks different now, but her spirit remains the same.”
Shiloh, struggling to walk due to spinal arthritis and needing special boots, was still the same dog Cuevas remembered from her childhood.
“She is incredibly cheerful and seems grateful to be with us,” Cuevas stated. “She held onto hope that her family would come to rescue her.”
Shiloh’s ability to remember her previous family is supported by a 2016 study from the journal Current Biology, which suggests that dogs possess episodic memory.
Despite being 12 years old, the hope was for Shiloh to enjoy her remaining years with her original family. Unfortunately, a grim discovery revealed cancer throughout her body.
The family was informed that Shiloh might only have a few months left. Despite this heartbreaking news, they are committed to making her final days as happy as possible with treatment and care.
“We are devastated, but we want to give Shiloh the ending she deserves,” Cuevas voiced. “She will depart surrounded by love, not alone outside.”