Smiley is a Golden Retriever born without eyes. Luckily for him, Joanne George saved Smiley from a life of neglect and certain death on a puppy farm at the age of two, but despite his disability and difficult past he is flourishing. His legs are a little bowed, his head is a little large and he stands “a little crooked, ” his owner said. But Smiley’s disability hasn’t slowed him down. It has given him a reason to keep going. He is 12 years old now and has been very inspirational to a lot of people. After he was trained Smiley became a certified therapy dog, and has lived up to his name, working with people at nursing homes, schools and even a local library where he helps Kids in special needs in his hometown in Stouffville, 30 miles from Toronto, Ontario. Teddy, a man that Smiley frequently visited in a nursing home, had no speech and was unable to communicate. But that didn’t stop the dog from trying. “One day, Smiley put his feet up in front of [Teddy] and he started smiling and making noise, ” George said. “All of the nurses rushed into the room and said they’ve never seen him smile — never seen any kind of reaction. “Now every time Smiley visits the nursing home, Teddy is the first person he sees. Smiley’s changed the lives of hundreds of other men, women and children as well.
