Dog owner had ‘dying wish' for beloved pups. Heartwarming adoption made it real

Miami Herald

09-05-2025

A dog owner had a 'dying wish' for his beloved pups — then an emotional adoption made his dream a reality.
'Please keep them together. Don't let them lose each other,' the owner said, according to a North Carolina animal shelter's April 30 Facebook post.
After sharing the man's touching plea on social media, Brother Wolf Animal Rescue revealed one week later that his two dogs were both adopted into a new home.
'We are over the moon Dutch and Pepper were adopted together,' Brooke Fornea, a spokesperson for the Asheville shelter, told McClatchy News in a May 9 email. 'It's always our hope that bonded animals stay side by side, and seeing them head off to their next chapter as a duo was incredibly heartwarming for everyone involved.'
Dutch and Pepper are sticking together after arriving at Brother Wolf in February. The shelter had required that they be adopted into the same home after losing their owner, McClatchy News reported.
'I think he, more than anybody, knew how much they relied on each other,' Fornea said in a May 1 phone interview. 'And he knew it was going to be really hard on them to lose him. They're really loved and social dogs, so you can tell that they spent a lot of time around people that were really kind to them.'
As they waited for a second chance, the canine best friends were known for being 'playful, affectionate, and always up for a snuggle.' They're small, older dogs who tend to stick around each other, according to Fornea and social media posts.
Then on May 7, the shelter in a Facebook post shared the good news that the two pups wouldn't be separated. They were matched with the 'kindest mom' and are settling into her home.
'We've already heard from their new mom, and the update couldn't be sweeter — Dutch and Pepper are settling in beautifully, soaking up all the love, snuggling on the bed, and making themselves right at home,' Fornea wrote.