Don’t skip this post because the story today will be one of the most powerful and wonderful examples of animal friendship we’ve ever seen. Meet Tao and Oko, the two cute golden retrievers who are going viral on the internet for their adorable and great friendship.
Tao is a ten-year-old golden retriever who had to have both eyes removed due to glaucoma. Despite being blind, that hasn’t stopped him from enjoying his beautiful life because he has his own “seeing-eye” puppy Oko.
Tao’s owner, Melanie Jackson, told LAD Bible that she first noticed that her little dog had health problems in February 2019. “We had a normal morning,” Mel said. “Everything was absolutely fine. But you just know when the dog is not his normal self. By the night, he was in the most pain I have ever seen so he took him to the vet.”
Sadly, Tao was diagnosed with glaucoma, a disease that damages his eyes’ optic nerve. “Glaucoma is the build-up of fluid in the eye – it’s got nowhere to drain away. If you can imagine a migraine and times it by a hundred – that was the pain he was in,” Mel said.
“He was scratching his face. I said [to the vet], ‘You are going to think I’m mad, but Tao has lost his sight.’ The pressure was so high in his right eye. We didn’t have any other choice but to have the eye removed.”
Melanie found that her senior pooch was not happy and playful after losing his eyes. In an effort to give Tao the best quality of life, she brought Oko home with the hope that the little dog would help Tao navigate the world, feel better, and have more fun.
Although Oko joined the family fairly late in Tao’s life, the two instantly formed a strong bond. Now they are best friends and are inseparable. Not only is Oko a perfect playmate for Tao, but he also helps his blind friend get around, serving as a guide dog for him.
Tao quickly adjusted to life as a blind dog, and a huge part of that is thanks to his best friend. “Tao follows him around the fields and they sleep with each other,” Melanie said. “We are in the process of training Tao to follow Oko so he doesn’t get in the way of any danger.”
People are incredibly happy to see that Oko’s there for his best friend. The story of Tao and Oko shows that difficulties not only test you, but they also reveal who your actual friends are. With Oko by his side, hopefully Tao will always be safe and happy.
