Owner Reunites with Dog After Heartbreaking Separation During Cancer Treatment

Okay, this one has me screaming, crying, shaking, throwing up.

For 45-year-old Ontario resident Michael Naylor, his pup Minnie became more than a pet, she was a part of his family.

But their journey together was brought to a halt in 2021 when Naylor’s health took a dramatic turn. Already battling chronic pancreatitis and kidney issues, he was diagnosed with what doctors believed was pancreatic cancer.

As his condition worsened, Naylor found it increasingly difficult to care for Minnie. Confined to his bed, he noticed that Minnie, too, refused to leave his side, even neglecting her own needs.

"My mom and (my) wife couldn't even pull her out of the room to go outside, let alone go for a run or a walk. Just wouldn’t leave my side," he said. "I couldn’t give her the life she needed because she (couldn’t) be cooped up in a room. She needs to run."

Recognizing that Minnie deserved a more active life, Naylor made the heartbreaking decision to surrender her to the Humane Society of Greater Niagara in 2022. Through a humanitarian boarding program funded by PetSmart Charities, Minnie was initially placed in temporary care, but her stay extended to nearly a year as Naylor’s health continued to decline.

During this time, Naylor’s life felt incomplete. He carried Minnie’s dog tags everywhere and would sometimes park outside the shelter just to catch a glimpse of her playing in the yard.

“There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think of her,” he recalled.

For Minnie, the separation was equally difficult. According to Briana Howard, a senior animal care technician at the shelter, Minnie was “completely shut down, sad, and reserved.”

In September 2023, Minnie was adopted by a new family, leaving Naylor heartbroken. Feeling as though he had lost her forever, he fell into despair and stopped seeking medical treatment.

“When she got adopted, I stopped everything. I literally gave up. I stopped going to the doctors. I stopped taking medicine, I stopped everything. I wouldn’t get out of my room. I was like, ‘I’m done,’” he shared. “I thought she was gone for good, so I was doing pretty bad."

But fate had other plans. In May 2024, Minnie was returned to the shelter after her adopter faced personal challenges. While this turn of events saddened the shelter staff, it marked the beginning of a heartwarming reunion.

One day, while browsing the Humane Society’s website, Naylor saw a familiar face. “I said, ‘Minnie’s back.’ My daughter didn’t believe me, but I just knew.”

Around the same time, Naylor received life-changing news: his cancer had been misdiagnosed. Instead of pancreatic cancer, he had intestinal cancer, which was treatable. With renewed hope, he began treatment and regained his strength.

By October 2024, Naylor was in remission, and his first priority was reuniting with Minnie.

“When I called her name, her ears perked up, and she came running,” Naylor recounts. “There are no words to describe that moment.”

Howard vividly remembers the emotional scene at the shelter. “When Minnie saw him, everything changed. She absolutely exploded into her true self, as if two years had never passed,” she says. “It was a moment full of tears and joy.”

For Naylor, bringing Minnie home completed his recovery. “When she came home, everything felt whole again,” he says. “She’s my baby, my guardian angel, my everything. She’s the reason I’m still here.”

Now, Naylor looks forward to giving Minnie the life she deserves. “She’s always been there for me, and now I can finally be there for her.”

This tale of resilience and love serves as a powerful reminder of the unbreakable bond between humans and their pets, and the healing power of hope.

“She’s not just a pet,” Naylor shares. “I have four children, and it’s strange to say, but Minnie and I have imprinted on each other. I don’t go anywhere she can’t go. If she can’t go, I stay home.”