North Carolina Dog Rescued From Floodwaters Finally Finds His Voice In The Most Beautiful Way
Bastian was the only dog left behind at an adoption event after surviving a North Carolina hurricane. When his new family gave him a unique way to communicate, his entire world changed.
The Last Dog Left
A terrified dog named Bastian was found wandering the streets during the devastating floodwaters of Hurricane Florence.
He had no family, no safe place to sleep, and no idea what his future held as the storm raged around him.
Eventually, he ended up at an adoption event, watching as family after family walked past his kennel.
By the end of the day, Bastian was the only dog left without a home.
But his story was far from over. A couple saw his photo online, and even though it wasn’t the most flattering picture, they felt drawn to him.
A Meant-To-Be Meeting
The couple decided they had to meet the lonely dog who had been left behind.
The second they met Bastian in person, they realized he was definitely their dog.
It felt as though he had been waiting for them all along.
They brought him home, ready to give him the safe and loving life he had always deserved.
A Quiet And Anxious Start
Surviving a hurricane and living on the streets had taken a toll on the sweet dog.
When they first brought Bastian home, he was very quiet and highly anxious.
He struggled to settle in, unsure of his new surroundings and still carrying the weight of his past.
His parents knew they needed to find a way to help him feel secure and understood.
Unlocking His Confidence
To help him communicate, his family decided to introduce him to recordable talking buttons.
They hoped the buttons would give him a way to express his needs without feeling overwhelmed.
The change in his demeanor was almost immediate.
Bastian’s confidence really started to bloom once he realized he had a voice.
Having the ability to ask for things and make choices brought out a completely different dog.
The First Word
Like any smart dog, Bastian quickly figured out which button yielded the best results.
His very first word was “treat.”
His parents laughingly admit that it was probably a beginner’s mistake to teach him that word first.
He quickly learned that pressing the button meant he could get a snack whenever he was hungry.
Navigating Heartbreak
The buttons didn’t just help Bastian ask for food; they became a vital tool for his emotional well-being.
The family had two 12-year-old cats, and Bastian had grown close to them.
When Hallie was no longer with the family, the household went through a difficult emotional period.
Bastian actually started to use his buttons to work through his complex emotions about losing his friend.
His parents realized that dogs have an awareness of loss and grief that humans aren’t always privy to.
A Stubborn Sister
Bastian frequently tries to speak to his surviving feline sister, Kiley.
At first, Kiley was completely uninterested in the buttons, even when her parents tried to teach her.
It became pretty clear that she preferred to do things her own way.
However, she would sit and watch Bastian using his buttons all the time.
Soon after, the clever cat started exploring the buttons on her own.
Midnight Boat Rides
Today, Bastian is no longer the quiet, anxious dog he once was.
In fact, his parents joke that he thinks he runs the house now.
He loves requesting things, from asking to go “outside” to demanding a “walk” after his mom finishes her coffee.
His requests can be quite ambitious, too.
One time, at 10:30 at night, Bastian firmly decided it was the perfect time to ask for a boat ride.
A Vocabulary Of Love
Bastian’s transformation from a terrified flood survivor to a confident communicator is nothing short of amazing.
He currently has about 78 buttons on his board.
He uses 60 of those words with complete confidence to navigate his daily life.
The most beautiful moment of all is when he uses his board to say, “I love you.”
As his family says, animals are just so much smarter than we give them credit for.
