It’s no secret that service dogs play a huge role in helping the disabled balance their lives, but did you know that they could do a pawsome job helping other dogs too? Meet Tao and Oko, two adorable golden retrievers who are stealing hearts by being the best walking buddies ever!
Tao went blind two years ago after having both of his eyes removed when he was ten years old. His mommy Melanie Jackson first noticed the dog’s abnormality when he started to use his leg to scratch his face continuously and showed signs of visual impairment.
After taking Tao to the vet, Melanie learned some bad news: the poor boy was diagnosed with glaucoma. Given that Tao was in so much pain back then, they had no choice but to remove one of his eyes.
Unfortunately, 11 months later, he lost his other eye as well.
To be honest, Melanie feared the worst, but thankfully the brave doggo adjusted quite well to his brand new tough life. Despite losing his eyes, Tao was still the lively, devoted, compassionate boy that Melanie knew all along. According to Melanie, her incredible dog thrived splendidly after the surgery.
Even though Tao did way better than Melanie thought, she still knew that he needed a friend to comfort his heart and help him ease the sorrow. That’s how Oko came to their family.
The two golden retrievers get along pretty well, and Oko is even far beyond Melanie’s expectations. He is the best companion that Tao could ever ask for, especially on walks.
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Oko is the perfect sight buddy who helps Tao navigate the world around him whenever they head out together.
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Since Oko showed up, the two endearing dogs have been inseparable and people just can’t get enough of these charming, fun-loving boys. One year later, little Oko is now a trustworthy grow-up doggo who does a great job taking care of his pal.
Their Instagram page has racked up over 56k followers so far, making Tao and Oko one of the most famous canine pairs on social media.
Melanie also wants to raise awareness for canine glaucoma through her two sweet boys. In addition to sharing meaningful messages on their Instagram, she also allows The Kennel Club to uses Tao’s DNA to detect the disease in other dogs, isn’t it great?
Please share Tao and Oko’s heartwarming story with your loved ones!