Pit Bull Kiko Is A Hero, But What He’s Going Through Now Will Break Your Heart

Pit bull Kiko (pictured above) is now 14-years-old — afraid, confused, and alone.

For years, he lived with a man who took care of all his needs — a man he was willing to take a bullet for, and one day in 2012, showed that willingness when an armed robber set the man in his sights.

Kiko jumped in front of the gun’s path and took a bullet to the head, Opposing Views reports, though in an unexpected twist, the projectile did not penetrate his skull, but rather bounced off.

As the pit bull was recovering, the man experienced a downturn in fortune and was placed in a position where he had to give his savior up.

Kiko next found his way to the Mighty Mutts cat and dog rescue facility in New York, New York. The facility is described as a “no-kill” volunteer operation.

“The first few weeks of adoption drives, it was obvious that Kiko was very confused, and just seemed to be looking for his owner,” said Jill Haynes, a spokesperson for the shelter. “Initially we thought he was a little shut down, but after a bit of time we realized he was actually just completely deaf.”

As well advanced as Kiko is in age, it was unlikely that he would find a so-called “forever home.” Fortunately, when his story broke this week, things started to pick up.

Mighty Mutts said that it received inquiries from “all over the world.” But as a small volunteer operation, the facility is looking to find the pit bull a home locally (within 2-3 hours driving distance) from where it is located in Union Square.

In the meantime, the realization that Kiko is deaf has led the volunteers to find new ways of communicating with him.

More on that from the Facebook page, linked below.

“He loves having his ears and butt scratched and usually when he lays down… he makes a cute little grunting/sighing noise. He is very food motivated, and smart. He loves looking at himself in the mirror (he obviously knows how handsome he is) and when we go on walks sometimes he stops to look at himself in the store windows. When he has extra energy he likes to roll around on the floor and wiggle back and forth. Whenever I catch him doing this he stops and just looks at me. (I’m assuming it’s like the equivalent of someone catching you while you’re dancing). He gets excited for his walks and gently steps into his harness and waits for me to open the door patiently.

His favorite way to show affection is to come over to you and stare at you until you pet him. Then he buries his head into you and gives little happy grunts when you scratch his head just right. He also checks in with you to see where you are and if everything is ok. Because he’s deaf giving him visual reassurance that everything is ok is really important in making him feel calm and secure. I usually smile at him and give him a thumbs up. Then he goes back to sleeping or eating.”

If you live within a 2- or 3-hour drive of the Union Square shelter and feel you can give Kiko a forever home, Mighty Mutts wants to hear from you. Here’s the link to their website.

Do you think an elderly pit bull — or any elderly dog, for that matter — would make a great pet? Sound off in the comments section.

[Image via Mighty Mutts Facebook]