'They Instantly Loved Each Other': A Toddler and a Rescue Puppy, Twin Cleft Lips, One Perfect Match

A two-year-old and a shelter pup share the same rare birth mark—and an instant, adoring bond

When Brandon and Ashley Boyers spotted Lacey, a black-and-white puppy with a congenital condition, at the Jackson County Animal Shelter in Jackson, MI, they knew instantly she was meant for their two-year-old son Bentley. The little pup, like the toddler, was born with a cleft lip.

Brandon was browsing the shelter when he noticed the puppy shared something remarkable with his son.

'He Facetimed me, and said "I think this one has a cleft lip," and I replied, "get her! We need her,"' Ashley told local station WILX.

When the thrilled toddler came to the shelter to meet Lacey for the first time, staff captured an adorable run of photos that freeze-frame the instant connection between boy and pup.

'It's so hard to put into words how meaningful this adoption is to all of us, so we're going to let the pictures do the talking,' the shelter wrote on Facebook. '…They instantly loved each other.'

Seeing yourself reflected in the world matters enormously. 'To see him share something in common with a puppy means a lot, because he can grow up understanding that he and his puppy both carry something they can share,' Ashley said.

Lydia Sattler, the Jackson County Animal Services Director, says Lacey shouldn't face any added health concerns.

'Her disability really isn't holding her back, and as she grows they'll be able to see more if there's any change tied to that. But she's doing really well,' Lydia told WILX. 'She may look a little different than a typical dog, but it's not slowing her down at all.'

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